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Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the SDF conducts certain activities in coordination with Israel, a reality he said has become a major obstacle in talks aimed at integrating the group into the Syrian administration.
Fidan made the remarks at a joint press conference in Damascus with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani following their bilateral talks.
“We see that the SDF has no intention of making much progress,” Fidan said.
“The fact that the SDF carries out certain activities in coordination with Israel currently constitutes a major obstacle in the talks being conducted with Damascus.”
Fidan said it is important for the SDF to integrate into the Syrian administration through dialogue and reconciliation in a way that benefits all sides and to stop acting as an obstacle to Syria’s stability.
He said discussions with his Syrian counterpart covered a wide range of issues, including bilateral relations, regional security and threats to Syria’s stability, stressing that Syria’s stability is directly linked to Türkiye’s own security.
Al-Shaibani also addressed the issue of Syria’s northeast, saying authorities have not seen any willingness from the SDF regarding integration.
He said the Syrian state will give greater importance to the Jazira region and emphasized that the state will be present there.
Fidan said Israel adopting an approach based on mutual consent with regional countries, rather than pursuing expansionist policies, would contribute to regional stability.
On Gaza, Fidan said Türkiye expects the second phase of the ceasefire agreement to begin immediately following a declaration by U.S. President Donald Trump in the first weeks of the new year.
Fidan also pointed to significant progress over the past year in Syria’s stability and security, noting that the repeal of the U.S. Caesar Act sanctions by the U.S. Senate would allow investments to flow into the country.
He described the move as a major contribution to regional stability and thanked Trump and the Washington administration for the decision.
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