Ankara, Feb.10 (SANA) Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Syria has made notable progress in several areas, stressing that preserving the country’s unity, territorial integrity and stability through peaceful dialogue is of vital importance to Türkiye.
Speaking to CNN Türk late Monday, Fidan called for continued steps between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) under ceasefire arrangements aimed at integrating the group into state institutions. He said such steps are being taken on a daily basis toward a defined objective, adding that confidence would increase as specific measures are implemented.
At the same time, Fidan highlughted that the SDF needs a historic internal transformation, noting that discussions on this issue are currently taking place within the organization.
The Turkish offical said that political struggle is the legitimate path for advancing Kurdish rights, pointing to presidential decrees issued in Damascus to address those concerns. He added that messages have been conveyed to the SDF urging reconciliation with the Syrian government, stressing that previous assumptions were illusory and that reality would inevitably assert itself, saying it was only a matter of time.
He praised the Syrian government’s commitment to equality and freedoms for all citizens, expressing hope that disputes between Kurds and Arabs would be fully resolved in a way that allows Syria to move toward a better future.
Turning to regional tensions, Fidan said Türkiye is working to prevent escalation in a region that cannot afford a new war. He downplayed the risk of an imminent conflict between the United States and Iran, while noting that there is limited scope for an agreement between the two sides.
He said the decision to focus negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program is a positive step, though challenges remain due to policies pursued by Tehran’s leadership.
Addressing nuclear weapons, Fidan argued that the world suffers from a lack of fairness on the issue, streesing that Türkiye’s position as a strategic matter that must be viewed within a broad framework. He criticized the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty for allowing the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council — the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain — to retain nuclear arsenals while failing to fulfill commitments related to peaceful nuclear technology and disarmament.
Fidan warned that more countries may seek to acquire nuclear weapons in the future, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe, underscoring what he described as global nuclear injustice.
