Antalya, April 17 (SANA) President Ahmad al-Sharaa, speaking at a panel discussion during the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Türkiye, outlined Syria’s positions on regional challenges, diplomacy, security arrangements, and economic reconstruction.
The President said that the region is currently facing difficult conditions that require exceptional solutions, adding that Syria is shouldering its responsibilities and confronting these challenges with the resilience of its people and the support of friendly countries in the region.
President al-Sharaa said that the conflict in the region is not new and that its roots run deep in history, stressing that Syria is moving away from alignment with one state against another and seeks instead to serve as a bridge between major powers. He added that Syria maintains strong relations with the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and countries across the region.
“We are shaping a new chapter for Syria, transforming it from a conduit for conflict into a platform for sustainable investment.”
Addressing regional conflicts, President al-Sharaa said Syria faced Iranian aggression in the previous phase, as Tehran supported the deposed regime in its confrontation with the Syrian people. Despite this, he said Syria did not engage in the conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel, and had worked prior to the war to prevent its outbreak, warning of its serious consequences for the region.
The President reaffirmed Syria’s commitment to regional stability, emphasizing dialogue and diplomacy as the primary means to resolve disputes while avoiding conflict and escalation.
President al-Sharaa also welcomed efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump to halt the ongoing war in Lebanon, expressing hope for a shift toward correcting regional trajectories in order to prevent the recurrence of similar conflicts.
On the occupied Syrian Golan, President al-Sharaa said any recognition by any country of Israel’s claim is invalid, reiterating that the international community affirms the Golan is Syrian territory under Israeli occupation. He added that Israel is violating the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
The President said Syria is working to reach a security agreement that would ensure Israel’s withdrawal from the areas it occupied following the fall of the deposed regime on December 8, 2024, and its return to the 1974 lines, either through restoring the disengagement agreement or concluding a new arrangement guaranteeing security for both sides. He added that, if such an agreement is reached, Syria may enter long-term negotiations on the issue of the occupied Golan.
On the domestic front, President al-Sharaa said Syria is working to implement an agreement on the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into state institutions, adding that all parties are supporting the unity and stability of Syrian territory, and that northeastern Syria is now free of any foreign military bases.
On reconstruction, he said Syria has adopted an approach focused on encouraging investment to strengthen the economy, emphasizing reliance on domestic resources. He added that any assistance should not be politicized or tied to conditions.
The President stated that Syria has moved out of a state of conflict into a secure and stable environment that represents an investment opportunity, adding that it has also helped safeguard the region by preventing the expansion of certain regional powers or the use of Syrian territory as a platform for launching attacks and destabilizing the region.
Syria, he said, is today more stable and secure and has become a focus of international attention, particularly regarding the security of supply chains between East and West and energy flows.
The President added that Syria has begun exporting limited Iraqi oil shipments, while several countries are considering regional integration to route exports through Syrian territory. He also referred to the recently discussed “Four Seas” project, saying Syria’s geographic position makes it a viable investment opportunity.
The international community, he said, recognizes the importance of seizing this historic moment in Syria, with growing interest in strengthening relations in ways that contribute to regional and global stability, both economically and in terms of security.
President al-Sharaa concluded that throughout history, Syria has been a symbol of peaceful coexistence, and that today it is restoring its glory and civilization while working to overcome strife, crises, and isolation resulting from the policies of the deposed regime.
KA.ABD
