Erdogan Keen on Continuing Normalization Efforts with Damascus, Says Iran May Join

A Turkish-Russian joint patrol is seen in Syria. (AFP file photo)
A Turkish-Russian joint patrol is seen in Syria. (AFP file photo)
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Erdogan Keen on Continuing Normalization Efforts with Damascus, Says Iran May Join

A Turkish-Russian joint patrol is seen in Syria. (AFP file photo)
A Turkish-Russian joint patrol is seen in Syria. (AFP file photo)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan believes that his country’s meetings with Russia, Syria, and possibly Iran are vital for achieving stability in the region of north and east Syria.

Erdogan said Türkiye’s relations with Russia are “based on mutual respect.”

He added that his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin is “based on honesty.”

The Turkish president added that while his country has not been able to obtain the result it desires regarding developments in northern Syria, it is calling for holding tripartite meetings between Türkiye, Russia and Syria.

“Let Türkiye, Russia and Syria meet, and Iran can join, and let us hold our meetings along these lines so that stability can be reached on the region and get rid of the problems we are facing,” said Erdogan at an election rally on Sunday night.

For a long time now, Turkish and Syrian intelligence officials have met under Russian mediation. The talks culminated in a meeting of defense ministers in Moscow on December 28 as part of efforts to normalize ties between Ankara and Damascus, which Russia is promoting.

Turkish, Syrian, and Russian foreign ministers were slated to meet in mid-January, in preparation for a meeting between their respective presidents that was proposed by Erdogan.

However, Damascus’ announcement of conditions to proceed with normalization talks thwarted the plans.

Damascus demanded that Turkish forces withdraw from northern Syria and Ankara stop supporting the Syrian opposition. It also required blacklisting the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army factions.



Rights Defenders Denounce US Sanctions on UN Expert on Palestinians

UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese gives a press conference at the UN City in Copenhagen, Denmark February 5, 2025. Ritzau Scanpix/Ida Marie Odgaard via REUTERS/File Photo
UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese gives a press conference at the UN City in Copenhagen, Denmark February 5, 2025. Ritzau Scanpix/Ida Marie Odgaard via REUTERS/File Photo
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Rights Defenders Denounce US Sanctions on UN Expert on Palestinians

UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese gives a press conference at the UN City in Copenhagen, Denmark February 5, 2025. Ritzau Scanpix/Ida Marie Odgaard via REUTERS/File Photo
UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese gives a press conference at the UN City in Copenhagen, Denmark February 5, 2025. Ritzau Scanpix/Ida Marie Odgaard via REUTERS/File Photo

Human rights defenders rallied on Thursday to support the top UN expert on Palestinian rights, after the United States imposed sanctions on her over what it said was unfair criticism of Israel.

Italian lawyer Francesca Albanese serves as special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, one of dozens of experts appointed by the 47-member UN Human Rights Council to report on specific global issues.

She has long criticized Israeli treatment of the Palestinians, and this month published a report accusing over 60 companies, including some US firms, of supporting Israeli settlements in the West Bank and military actions in Gaza.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday Albanese would be added to the US sanctions list for work which had prompted what he described as illegitimate prosecutions of Israelis at the International Criminal Court.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk urged Washington to reverse course.

"Even in the face of fierce disagreement, UN Member States should engage substantively and constructively, rather than resort to punitive measures," he said, Reuters reported.

Juerg Lauber, the Swiss permanent representative to the UN who now holds the rotating presidency of the Human Rights Council, said he regretted the sanctions, and called on states to "refrain from any acts of intimidation or reprisal" against the body's experts.

Mariana Katzarova, who serves as the special rapporteur for human rights in Russia, said her concern was that other countries would follow the US lead.

"This is totally unacceptable and opens the gates for any other government to do the same," she told Reuters. "It is an attack on UN system as a whole. Member states must stand up and denounce this."

Russia has rejected Katzarova's mandate and refused to let her enter the country, but it has so far stopped short of publicly adding her to a sanctions list.

Washington has already imposed sanctions against officials at the International Criminal Court, which has issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister for suspected war crimes in Gaza. Another court, the International Court of Justice, is hearing a case brought by South Africa that accuses Israel of genocide.

Israel denies that its forces have carried out war crimes or genocide against Palestinians in the war in Gaza, which was precipitated by an attack by Hamas-led fighters in October 2023.

"The United States is working to dismantle the norms and institutions on which survivors of grave abuses rely," said Liz Evenson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch.

The group's former head, Kenneth Roth, called the US sanctions an attempt "to deter prosecution of Israeli war crimes and genocide in Gaza".

The United States, once one of the most active members of the Human Rights Council, has disengaged from it under President Donald Trump, alleging an anti-Israel bias.