Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with United States Ambassador to Türkiye and special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack on Jan. 20 to discuss the recent developments in Syria that resulted in an agreement between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The meeting comes amid an ongoing tension between the Syrian government and the SDF despite they signed a 14-article agreement on Jan.18.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Fidan said Türkiye is supporting the Jan. 18 deal and believes that its implementation is of vital significance.
“The realization of Jan. 18 agreement is very important for the unity of Syria,” he said, also expressing his concerns over the release of some members of the ISIL terrorist organization.
Barrack played an important role in mediating the agreement between the two sides, which also paved the way for the withdrawal of the SDF from Aleppo and Raqqa provinces towards east.
The agreement stipulates the control of the Syrian government in oil and natural gas reserves as well as border crossings with the individual integration of the SDF forces into the national army.
However, there is still tension in the field as some SDF officials reject the implementation of the deal on the grounds that promises given them by the U.S. were not fulfilled.
Ankara expressed its satisfaction with the agreement and the withdrawal of the SDF forces as its priority is to eliminate all terror groups in Syria, including the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
In the meantime, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya warned Türkiye would not tolerate any provocations, in a statement on early January 20, in the face of protests of some groups especially in southern Anatolian provinces on the situation in Syria.
“We are meticulously monitoring, moment-by-moment, the recent developments in Syria and all movements along our border,” he said. “We will not tolerate any initiatives, provocations or any misinformation campaign targeting the peace of our country.”
