Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said those who place their hopes in terrorism will not achieve any results, stressing that a new chapter has opened for the Syrian people.
Speaking to the press after chairing a Presidential Cabinet meeting, Erdoğan said Türkiye is closely monitoring critical developments related to Syria and Iran.
Erdoğan underlined that Syria, with a 911-kilometer border, is Türkiye's longest land neighbor and a country with which Türkiye has deep-rooted historical ties. He criticized opposition circles for failing to understand why Türkiye has taken a close interest in Syria for years, accusing them of misreading developments in the country for more than a decade.
He said Türkiye wants to see a stable Syria where people live in peace regardless of whether they are Arab, Kurdish, or Christian, emphasizing that instability beyond Türkiye's borders directly affects its own security. "Any step that guarantees Syria's territorial integrity is reasonable for us," Erdoğan stated.
Highlighting the importance of the Turkic world in Türkiye's foreign policy, Erdoğan said it represents a significant power and potential. He noted that Türkiye will host the 13th summit of the Organization of Turkic States and that bilateral trade with Uzbekistan has tripled over the past decade.
Turning back to Syria, Erdoğan said: "A new page has now been opened before the Syrian people. Those who seek solutions through terror must know that they will achieve nothing. We hope the agreement will continue without resorting to cheap tactics such as stalling." He added that Türkiye would stand firmly against what he described as "merchants of blood."
Erdoğan also stressed the importance of coexistence in the region, saying neighbors of different faiths and identities have lived side by side for centuries and will continue to do so. "We will not allow those who want to pit brother against brother among us," he said.
He concluded by saying Türkiye will assess what joint steps can be taken for Gaza's security and reconstruction, as well as what can be done to prevent the Iran crisis from escalating further.
