Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a meeting with representatives of media organizations in Ankara.

Fidan conveyed important messages on hot topics of foreign policy. The messages from the meeting were reported by NTV Ankara Representative Ahmet Ergen. The most prominent topic we highlighted during our visit to Syria was the YPG issue. We brought to the agenda all the issues and concerns that are our priority. Regarding the agreement made by the new administration with the SDG, we clearly expressed our perspective on matters such as the organization’s intentions, capabilities, and control of energy resources. We emphasized issues that could be of concern within the framework of our experience in the fight against terrorism and our knowledge of the PKK. We saw that the Syrian government shared the same intentions and perspectives with us.

Given its current structure, the YPG is an extension of the PKK. It is unnecessary to even discuss it. We discussed in Damascus how the organization would take steps and what its timeline would be within the framework of an agreement. We emphasized that the elimination of the organization’s military capabilities is an important matter for us. To achieve this, certain conditions stand out. The first is the command issue. It is crucial for the existing elements to disband and come under the control of the central government. Additionally, possessing critical capabilities such as weapons, missile production, and air defense systems is unacceptable. Another issue is concerning those who join the YPG from outside. There is no place for them. Existing elements should dissolve, lay down arms, and come under the full control of the central government. This is a necessity. The central government must have the ability to assume command.

We will closely monitor all these developments in the upcoming period. It is essential to be cautious and not lose control during the process. We will closely follow the short term ahead. The Kurds living in Syria need to be granted rights that were not given during the Assad regime. It is essential to treat everyone as equal citizens. The Syrian government is also very sensitive about this. The issue of the return of displaced Syrians to their homeland is one of the priority issues they are working on. Armed groups cannot find a living space in an environment where trust is established.

SYRIA’S POLITICAL UNITY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY

We have emphasized the unity and integrity of Syria on every platform. The self-disbanding of