Turkey reconciles with Syria

13.07.2016

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that Turkey is aiming for the restoration of relations with Damascus. "We will expand our circle of friends, we have already begun to do so. We normalized our relations with Israel and Russia, and now, I am sure, we will normalize them with Syria. We need it," said Yildirim, speaking on Turkish television.

From neo-Ottomanism to pragmatism

From the very beginning of the conflict in Syria, Turkey supported the armed extremists. Relations between the two countries, which had previously been neighborly, became openly hostile. When Ahmet Davutoglu was Prime Minister, Turkey had been an important ally of the US, conducting a pro-American policy in the region, using the Islamic factor. Davutoglu's resignation in May of this year marked a transition to a more pragmatic and independent policy.

Secret negotiations

As Katehon wrote earlier, the normalization of relations with Russia, which was effectuated by President Erdogan and Prime Minister Yildirim, could provide for a change in Turkey's position on the Syrian issue. We also noted that the Prime Minister Yildirim and Minister of Foreign Affairs Cavusoglu spoke in support of the territorial integrity of Syria. Earlier, according to Algerian sources, secret negotiations between representatives of the two countries took place in April this year in Algeria. Patriotic representatives of Kemalist forces in Turkey played an active role in the normalization of relations, in particular the party "Vatan" of Dogu Perincek, who conducted the relevant talks in Damascus.

Forecast

Turkey’s 180 degree turn on the Syrian issue significantly strengthens the position of Russia, Iran, and the legitimate government of Bashar al-Assad. At the same time, the United States' plans to federalise Syria are called into question. Turkey is not interested in promoting this plan, since it stimulates separatist tendencies among the Kurds in Turkey.

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