Turkey Rejects Trump’s Claim of "Unfriendly Takeover" in Syria
ISTANBUL: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has expressed solidarity with Syria, blaming the culture of domination for the region’s devastation. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Fidan rejected US President-elect Donald Trump’s claim that the rebel ouster of Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad was an "unfriendly takeover" by Ankara.
"We wouldn’t call it a takeover, because it would be a grave mistake to present what’s been happening in Syria" in those terms, Fidan said. "For Syrian people, it is not a takeover. I think if there is any takeover, it’s the will of the Syrian people which is taking over now."
Fidan’s comments come after Trump said, "The people that went in (to Syria) are controlled by Turkey and that’s ok. Turkey did an unfriendly takeover, without a lot of lives being lost."
Kurdish Question
Fidan also warned Syria’s new rulers to address the issue of Kurdish forces in the country, whom Ankara brands "terrorists". "There is a new administration in Damascus now. I think, this is primarily their concern now," he said. "So, I think if they are going to, if they address this issue properly, so there would be no reason for us to intervene."
Cooperation Over Domination
Fidan emphasized the importance of cooperation in the region, rather than domination. "I think that would be the last thing that we want to see, because we are drawing huge lessons from what’s been happening in our region, because the culture of domination itself has destroyed our region," he said. "Therefore, it is not Turkish domination, not Iranian domination, not Arab domination, but cooperation should be essential."
"It’s Time" for HTS
Fidan also touched on the topic of HTS, a group rooted in the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda, which has largely been seen in the West as a terror group. "I think it is time for the international community starting from UN… to remove their name from the terrorism list," he said. "I think HTS has taken huge steps in divorcing itself from Al-Qaeda and Daesh (the Islamic State group) and other related radical elements."
Conclusion
In conclusion, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has rejected Trump’s claim of an "unfriendly takeover" in Syria, emphasizing the importance of cooperation and solidarity with the Syrian people. He also warned Syria’s new rulers to address the issue of Kurdish forces in the country and called for the removal of HTS from the terrorism list.
FAQs
Q: What did Trump say about Turkey’s role in Syria?
A: Trump said that "the people that went in (to Syria) are controlled by Turkey and that’s ok. Turkey did an unfriendly takeover, without a lot of lives being lost."
Q: What did Fidan say in response?
A: Fidan rejected Trump’s claim, saying, "We wouldn’t call it a takeover, because it would be a grave mistake to present what’s been happening in Syria" in those terms. "For Syrian people, it is not a takeover. I think if there is any takeover, it’s the will of the Syrian people which is taking over now."
Q: What did Fidan say about the Kurdish question in Syria?
A: Fidan warned Syria’s new rulers to address the issue of Kurdish forces in the country, saying, "There is a new administration in Damascus now. I think, this is primarily their concern now."