Middle East expert: There is an actual tripartite agreement in Syria

The expert in Middle East affairs, Hamida Renkozoglari, spoke to ANHA's agency about the Turkish state's attempts to normalize relations with the Damascus government after the elections, Bashar al-Assad's stressing statements on the Turkish state's withdrawal from Syria, and the relations between Syria, Turkey and Russia.

Hamida Rinkozoglari explained that the Justice and Development Party was insisting on normalizing relations with Damascus and was very insistent on that before the elections, but after the elections it began to slow down, and indicated that Erdogan merely said: "The doors of meetings with Assad are open."

Hamida said, "When he says that the doors are still open, he wants to send a message stating that he is flexible in this matter. But there is no opportunity for Turkey to implement the two fixed conditions that Syria sets for normalization, so what are they? Turkey's withdrawal from Syrian territory, and stopping support for jihadist terrorists." Turkey did not have the opportunity to implement these two conditions before the elections, and it seemed possible to accept these two conditions, but it is not inclined to do so much now.

Assad's statements

Hamida Rinkozoglari commented on the statements made by Al-Assad to Sky News Arabia, noting that there are two remarkable points in Al-Assad's statements regarding the Turkish state, and mentioned them saying: "First, Al-Assad stressed the impossibility of holding an unconditional meeting, and secondly, he considered the Turkish presence on the Syrian lands an occupation and stressed On the necessity of its withdrawal from Syria, and stop supporting terrorism, Bashar al-Assad referred to the statement made by Tayyip Erdogan after the elections after he was reassured, in which he said, “We do not have any plan to withdraw from Syria, we are fighting terrorism there, so how do we withdraw when our national security is threatened” and commented Assad, saying, "All terrorists, from Jabhat al-Nusra to Ahrar al-Sham, are Turkish-made, they are the ones who support and adopt terrorism, so what kind of terrorism is he talking about?" Justice and Development are terrorist groups, but the Damascus government has never described the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Kurdish groups stationed east of the Euphrates, which Turkey claims are terrorists, as terrorists.

You will not relent or concede to Turkey"

Hamida Renkozoglari said, "Fighting terrorism will not be a condition for negotiation or normalization. It is important that Assad's position against Turkey is the same even after 12 years have passed. Therefore, when he discusses the issue of fighting terrorism with Turkey, he must put the jihadist groups that Syria, Iraq, and Russia consider Iran is a terrorist, which Turkey continues to support at the table.The Turkish position is very weak in this regard, as it brings together these groups under one umbrella, so it seems that fighting terrorism will never be a prerequisite for negotiation or normalization, but it (Turkey) is sticking to not withdrawing and has not given up on supporting terrorism, which are two basic conditions for Syria before negotiating, on the other hand, does Turkey have a chance to implement this?

"Normalization is important for Syria, but..."

Hamida Renkozoglari referred to the Damascus government's desire for normalization with Turkey and Iran, and stated that Damascus would not concede some of its conditions, no matter how much it needed normalization. They played the role of mediator, Russia and Iran are the ones who want this most.  Syria also desires this, as normalization with Turkey is very important for Syria, as it is a country whose borders extend for nearly a thousand kilometers, and jihadists pass through it constantly, meaning that it threatens its national security, as it constitutes its largest commercial border, and liberating its borders is a way to get rid of the blockade and sanctions. However, despite its urgent need for that (normalization), it did not hesitate to demand that Turkey unconditionally withdraw from its lands and stop supporting terrorism completely, so yes, these statements will continue, and it seems that normalization will take a long time.

The current agreement

Hamida Rinkozoglari mentioned that there is an actual agreement on the ground between Russia, Syria and Turkey, even if it was not announced, and she continued her speech, saying: "The field developments after the Astana meeting indicate that there is an agreement between them, as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and the Turkistan Islamic Party in northern Latakia attacked the area under the control of the Syrian army with UAVs, on the other hand, the Russian forces by air and the Syrian army by land inflicted heavy losses on the Turkistan Islamic Party and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, while ammunition depots, drone depots and training camps were bombed, and Turkey was suspiciously silent, and it was not the one It would remain silent and respond directly, as it would either attack through the Free Syrian Army groups that control and exploit it, or condemn it at the diplomatic level. On the other hand, Russia and Syria both remained silent about the Turkish operations against the points located in Tel Rifaat and Tel Abyad (Kobani), and it is possible that there is an actual bilateral agreement on the ground, as Turkey remains silent on the operations that target groups it leads that Syria considers terrorist, as well as groups that Turkey considers terrorist, and in return Syria and Russia remain silent on the attacks that Turkey launches against groups that it considers terrorist, as if there is an actual agreement in place. On the ground, as indicated by field developments.

"Russia will make concessions on Syrian territory"

Hamida Rinkozoglari stated that Russia will not allow Turkey to take a difficult step in Syria and will make concessions on Syrian territory to stand by it, and continued her speech, saying: “Russia will stick to its interests in Syria to enhance its support against the NATO bloc. In my opinion, Russia will give itself a “reward” at the level of Syria, especially to use Turkey's neutrality in the Ukrainian war to its advantage, and on the other hand, Russia turned to Africa, after the coup against European colonialism in Niger, all South African countries neighboring Niger began to raise the Russian flag. So Turkey's position on the African continent is important for Russia, and Turkey's statements are hostile to Rojava, and this is what relieves Russia, and this is why I believe that Russia will not allow Turkey to take a difficult step in the Syrian lands, it will make concessions on the Syrian lands to stand on its side, and this problem will continue for a long time.

T/ Satt.

ANHA