The former Syrian ambassador to Ankara, Nidal Qablan, affirmed that “Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will not meet his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan unless there is an agreement on essential Syrian conditions, the most important of which is Turkey's withdrawal from Syrian territory.” In an interview with "Sputnik," Qablan stated that "President Assad will not meet Erdoğan unless the fundamental Syrian conditions and clauses are agreed upon. The most important issue for Syria is what is happening on the ground, and making a decision by the Turkish government, especially Erdoğan, to withdraw from the territories it occupies in northern and northwestern Syria is a non-negotiable Syrian condition."
He added, "We cannot speak of serious breakthroughs in the reconciliation process between Damascus and Ankara, and perhaps what was discussed on the sidelines of the recent Astana meeting, and the Russian discussions about a roadmap for reconciliation between Syria and Turkey, can be considered as a largely theoretical basis. However, unless it is accompanied by practical steps and guarantees from the Russian and Iranian sides regarding Turkish commitments concerning Syrian demands, which have become well-known, topped by the withdrawal from the Syrian territories occupied by Turkish forces, it is not possible to discuss any serious breakthrough in the reconciliation process."
Qablan continued, "The change of faces in Turkey was primarily based on internal considerations and personal reasons between Erdoğan and some of his ministers. Some of this change is positive, notably the appointment of Hakan Fidan as the head of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, who has been officially tasked with several files including the Syrian file, and who has close knowledge of his Syrian counterparts, particularly the heads of the involved Syrian security agencies."
He highlighted that "this could be a positive step facilitating any decisions that can be made, especially since he is not just a foreign minister, but also the strongest figure after Erdoğan for many reasons, and he may be the candidate to succeed Erdoğan as Turkey’s president, as political analyses in Turkey and abroad suggest. This is the most significant change."
Regarding the possibility of Syria agreeing to restore diplomatic relations with Turkey before the latter withdraws from Syrian territory, Qablan said: “Diplomatic relations between Syria and Turkey cannot return while the Turkish army occupies Syrian territory. This is unrealistic and unacceptable for Syria; withdrawal is the primary condition."
He added, "Other conditions include stopping support for terrorist organizations that control Idlib and other areas and receive orders directly from Ankara. Therefore, combating terrorism is a fundamental requirement, in addition to opening official border crossings between the two countries, reviving trade and safe passage, and restoring Syrian control over the strategic M4 road, which connects the Syrian coast to Aleppo and northern Syrian provinces."
Qablan concluded, "There are many Syrian clauses and conditions that have been put on the negotiating table; we cannot jump over essential issues to move on to secondary topics. Therefore, a clear and tangible priority scale must be established and agreed upon, with clear and strong guarantees from the Russian and Iranian guarantors regarding Turkish compliance with its commitments."
