Türkiye expects all sanctions on Syria to be lifted: Erdoğan
NEW YORK
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Wednesday at the Turkish House (Turkevi) in New York.
According to a statement from Türkiye’s Communications Directorate, the meeting focused on bilateral ties with Syria and regional issues.
Also present at the meeting were Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin.
President Erdoğan said Türkiye expects all sanctions on Syria to be lifted as soon as possible and supports any initiative that respects Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He said the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) must comply with the March 10 agreement, adding that Türkiye is closely monitoring developments in the region, and support for Syria will continue to increase.
On March 10, the Syrian presidency announced an agreement to integrate the SDF into state institutions, stressing the country’s territorial integrity and rejecting any separatist designs.
Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia last December, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963. Sharaa’s new transitional administration was formed in January.
Erdoğan also held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, focusing on bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues.
Erdoğan said dialogue with France was important for Ankara and voiced Türkiye’s readiness to deepen cooperation in trade, energy and defense industries. He added that Türkiye was determined to revive and advance its relations with the European Union and stressed the need to activate the relevant mechanisms without delay.
On Ukraine, Erdoğan reiterated Türkiye’s efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace, noting that the Istanbul negotiations should be pursued with a results-oriented approach.
The president congratulated Macron on France’s decision to recognize the State of Palestine, underlining that increasing international pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government was essential to advancing the two-state solution. He also said continued coordination between Ankara and Paris would be valuable in this regard.
