Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Sunday that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would visit Syria soon, saying the two countries will hold intense and comprehensive meetings covering political, economic and military issues.
Fidan made the announcement during a press conference with his Syrian counterpart Asaad al-Shaibani in Damascus.
Fidan described Erdogan’s upcoming visit as an important step during which decisions and measures taken by the Joint Higher Committee would be reviewed, reported Syria’s state news agency SANA.
The committee would be jointly chaired, meet regularly and operate through a permanent secretariat, with specialized sectoral committees supporting its work, he added.
Its agenda would include energy, refugee returns, education and culture, he went on to say.
Al-Shaibani noted that Syria had developed a comprehensive program for organized refugee returns, providing housing, employment and transportation services under Syrian management and linked to reconstruction projects in areas of origin.
He said Syria was close to reopening its embassy in Ankara, describing it as an important step in strengthening relations.
Fidan stressed that Syrian-Turkish relations had made significant progress and that Syria’s stability was important not only for the Syrian people but for the wider region.
Türkiye viewed Syria’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity as essential, he stated, adding that all armed elements should integrate under state institutions.
Moreover, Fidan described the decision regarding the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as an important step, saying positive developments in Syria would contribute to regional stability.
Al-Shaibani said the press conference, held days after talks between the two sides in Ankara, reflected the rapidly expanding partnership between Syria and Türkiye and the strategic direction pursued by both countries.
He said Türkiye was among the first countries to reopen its embassy in Damascus and border crossings and supply lines following the ouster of the Assad regime on Dec. 8, 2024, adding that Ankara also played a leading role in international forums calling for the lifting of sanctions imposed on the Syrian people.
Al-Shaibani said Türkiye’s position at a pivotal moment would remain part of Syria’s national memory, adding that Damascus and Ankara had advanced their partnership through dozens of meetings at presidential and ministerial levels.
He said the two countries had signed 40 agreements and memoranda of understanding and established an institutional network linking 22 Syrian ministries and agencies with their Turkish counterparts.
He said Syria and Türkiye aim to increase bilateral trade from nearly $4 billion last year to $10 billion through production partnerships, local content, Syrian employment and joint industrial zones along the border.
The minister said the two sides were also working toward a comprehensive energy strategy covering gas, electricity and power-grid interconnection.
Fidan said Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat’s recent visit to Damascus and Aleppo with a delegation of businesspeople focused on increasing investments and expanding trade, particularly in the energy sector.
He said Syria would play a pivotal role in connecting Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Gulf countries and Iraq with Türkiye and the Mediterranean.
