Neither Türkiye nor Damascus would tolerate efforts to destabilise Syria, vowing support for the war-torn nation and warning that “war barons investing in chaos will lose this time,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday on his return flight from Tianjin, China — where he attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit — Erdogan said Syria’s diverse peoples, including Arabs, Kurds, Turkmens, Alawites, Sunnis, and Christians, would “prevail” over those seeking division.
“We will not abandon Syria. We will continue to stand by them. God willing, no one will be able to prevent Syria from rising again,” he said.
Erdogan also emphasised Türkiye’s efforts to deepen relations with Beijing, saying China “recognises Türkiye’s regional importance and influence.”
‘Only peace-oriented dialogue can end the war in Ukraine’
Turning to global issues, he welcomed the recent US-Russia summit in Alaska as “reasonable,” stressing that only peace-oriented dialogue can end the war in Ukraine. Ankara has consistently advocated for negotiations, he said, noting that earlier talks in Istanbul had shown the path to peace was open.
On regional integration, Erdogan highlighted the recent agreement on the Zangezur Corridor between Azerbaijan and Armenia, calling it a step that would activate road and rail networks, open border gates, and boost trade across sectors.
“Whoever tries to undermine this process will pay the price,” he warned, underlining Türkiye’s commitment to unity among regional peoples.
Global recognition of Palestine
Erdogan also addressed Palestine, predicting the issue would dominate this month’s UN General Assembly, especially as several European countries move toward recognising Palestinian statehood.
He criticised US visa restrictions on Palestinian officials and urged Washington to “say stop” to Israel’s “massacres and oppression.”
“Israel’s genocide will never be forgotten. Compassionate mothers and fathers will never forget how babies, mothers, and fathers were massacred in Palestine,” he said. “The UN General Assembly exists to solve global issues, and excluding Palestine would only please Israel.”
