Erdogan: There is a new political and diplomatic reality in Syria

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed that his country has no ambitions in the lands of any country and hopes that its neighbor Syria will find the peace and tranquility it has been yearning for for 13 years.

This came in a speech he delivered on Saturday, during his participation in the regular conference of the ruling Justice and Development Party, in the southern Turkish province of Gaziantep.

Erdogan said that the increasing attacks against civilians in Idlib province (northwest) were the spark that ignited the recent events in Syria.

He pointed out that Türkiye cannot ignore developments in a country with which it shares a 910-kilometre border.

Regarding the Syrian refugees, Erdogan stressed that history will record how Türkiye successfully passed this humanitarian test.

He added: "We have no ambitions in the lands of any country, and we hope that our neighbor Syria will find the peace and tranquility it has been yearning for for 13 years."

Erdogan continued: "There is a new political and diplomatic reality in Syria," stressing that Syria belongs to the Syrians with all their ethnic, sectarian and religious components.

He added: "Just as we attach importance to reassurance in Hatay, we hope that Hama, Homs, Damascus, Raqqa and Ayn al-Arab will also enjoy security."

He pointed out that the separatist PKK/YPG organization seeks to benefit from the current situation in Syria, and that Türkiye will not allow its national security to be endangered.

He stressed that "the Syrian lands are saturated with war, blood and tears, and our Syrian brothers truly deserve freedom, security and peace in their homeland."

The Turkish President added: "We want to see Syria as a country where different identities live side by side in an atmosphere of peace."

He stated that "the Damascus regime did not realize the value of the hand that Ankara extended to it and did not understand its significance, and Turkey, as it was yesterday, stands today on the right side of history."

Erdogan called on all international actors and organizations to support the territorial integrity of Syria.

Source: Anadolu Agency