Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced that his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shibani, will visit Turkey on Wednesday, October 8.
“On Wednesday, our colleague, the Syrian Foreign Minister (Asaad al-Shibani), will come to Turkey,” Fidan said in remarks carried by the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency on Saturday evening, October 4.
Fidan praised Syria’s ongoing parliamentary elections, describing them as “an important step,” and “the second significant step, after the formation of the government, toward building a new system in Syria.”
Syria began its first People’s Assembly election since the fall of the previous regime on December 8, 2024.
In an interview with TRT, Fidan called for “decisive steps” to preserve Syria’s territorial integrity, emphasizing the need to eliminate all elements that threaten the country’s unity.
“These elements currently pose a threat to Syria’s territorial integrity and risk dividing the country. They must be eradicated,” he said.
The Turkish minister stated that the Kurdish-led People’s Protection Units (YPG), the core of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), should “clarify their intentions and reach an agreement with Damascus.”
Commenting on the situation in Suwayda (southern Syria), Fidan said, “The Druze issue in the south must be resolved positively and in a way acceptable to both sides, without undermining the unity of the country.”
Previous Meeting
Al-Shibani previously met with Fidan in Ankara on August 13, in the presence of Syrian Defense Minister Marhaf Abu Qasra and Intelligence Chief Hussein al-Salama.
According to Anadolu, the meeting addressed the course of the political process in Syria and key security issues, including the activity of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the SDF in northeastern Syria, as well as field developments in Suwayda province.
During a joint press conference, Fidan stressed the need to “ensure that all Syrians feel equal” within the framework of a comprehensive political settlement, noting that Ankara closely monitors SDF movements. He said the group continues to recruit fighters from outside Syria and maintain combat readiness despite ongoing negotiations.
Fidan added that PKK fighters from Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Europe have not left Syria, and that there have been no positive developments following the “March 10 Agreement” or Turkey’s ongoing peace process with the PKK, indicating that the organization still poses a militant threat.
What Is the March 10 Agreement?
On March 10, Syrian Transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazloum Abdi reached an agreement to integrate the SDF into Syrian state institutions.
The deal guarantees equal representation and participation for all Syrians in the political process and state institutions, based on competence, regardless of religious or ethnic background.
According to the terms, the Kurdish community is recognized as an integral part of the Syrian state, whose citizenship and constitutional rights are protected.
The agreement also stipulates a nationwide ceasefire and the integration of civil and military institutions in northeastern Syria under state administration, including border crossings and oil and gas fields.
Additionally, al-Sharaa and Abdi agreed on the return of all displaced Syrians to their towns and villages under state protection, and on the SDF’s support for the Syrian state in combating remnants of Assad-era forces and all threats to Syria’s security and unity.
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