I guess the summary of all that is happening in Syria is: Bashar Assad remains in power. Russia has reached the Mediterranean through Syria. Legitimate dissidents have been constricted into tiny spaces. Those who crossed the borders took shelter in Turkey. When Iran failed to receive the same support in former U.S. President Barack Obama’s term, it chose to ally with Russia on the battlefield. The U.S. opened an area in the north of Syria, in the region spanning Manbij and the Iranian border, through the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), for its own long-term strategic goal. Turkey closed of the “west gate” of the terrorist corridor through the Olive Branch and Euphrates Shield operations in Syria, and the east gate through the Claw-1 and Claw-2 operations in Northern Iraq.
As a result, all sides are politically working to settle their presence on the ground as well.
Turkey has a common perspective with Russia and Iran with respect to Syria’s territorial integrity.
As for the “fight against all terrorist organizations on the ground,” we are aware of both Russia and Iran’s hesitant attitudes. Other than the Tahrir al-Sham (HTŞ), which Turkey added to its list of terror groups during the events in Idlib, there are differences between what Russia and Iran specify as terrorist and Turkey’s definitions. It is because of these differences that a disproportional intervention is in question in Idlib.
We saw this previously in Aleppo as well. The Russia and Iran-backed regime had carried out a bloody intervention in Aleppo without recognizing any rule.
Despite all this, Turkey is able to “talk” and negotiate with Russia and Iran and find a common ground.
We know that the regime is also developing an indirect and low-level relationship with Turkey.
Let us call this mechanism the “Astana process.” Our expectation is that the Astana process will result in the preservation of Syria’s territorial integrity and the elimination of Turkey’s reservations. One other leg of this process is that the “Constitutional commission” started to work.
If in the near future, constitutional operations commence with the agreement reached on certain figures, Russia, Turkey, Iran, and indirectly, the Syrian regime, will find the chance to reach an agreement on the base formed.
The U.S. and its coalition partners that are disturbed by the maturation of such a foundation, are pursuing an “imposition” with respect to the north of Syria. They are constantly making visits to Ankara. Lastly, U.S. President Donald Trump’s Special Representative for Syria Jeffrey had suggested a joint U.S.-Turkey patrol within the boundaries of the “5-10-kilometer deep safe zone.” (We had mentioned in the past that this suggestion is aimed at getting the PKK-affiliated PYD/YPG to deal with Turkey.)
The U.S. side that is well aware of the demands and reservations by Turkey, which strongly refuses its suggestions, is coming to Ankara yet again. This time we do not know what kind of suggestion they will be coming with. However, we know Turkey’s prerequisites concerning the safe zone.
First, we have not renounced the idea of a “peace corridor” from Jarablus to Qamishli, that can reach depths of about 32 kilometers, and drive out the PKK-affiliated PYD/YPG terrorists.
We have demands from the U.S. and the coalition to realize this idea. If those demands are not fulfilled, we will do the job ourselves.
When push comes to shove, if we can get “logistical support” from the U.S. and its coalition partners, we are going to build a peace corridor in the north of Syria. We are going to build new cities, new towns, new villages, all intact with its infrastructure and superstructure.
In these areas that will be built, we will be settling in the Syrians we have been hosting.
While doing all this, we are going to show that we respect Syria’s territorial integrity.
On his return from an overseas trip, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said to reporters on his jet: “Syria has been divided.” What this means is that the sides conducted a map operation among themselves, and everybody knows what they will be giving and taking.” So, do we have nothing to say about this? We showed the world that this was not the case in Afrin and al-Bab.
Under such circumstances, we cannot leave Turkey’s interests to anybody’s conscience. States have no conscience anyway. They have interests. In a matter that directly concerns Turkey’s territorial integrity, its security, Turkey is displaying an honorable, ethical and principled attitude. And it will continue to do so.
Hence, these days we are witnessing those who never said anything about Syrians to date start to talk ill concerning the matter.
This is why these days we see those who identify themselves through “the same belief and sociology” threaten the government.
This is why we see an opposition being networked from the “close circle” of President Erdoğan, who according to them should be stopped in every field.
Everybody knows about the plans Turkey “openly” declared. Despite such plans, they are still trying to promote to this nation the theories that overlap with U.S. interests.
Everything is happening before our very eyes. And the end result is slowly approaching.
Really, is there no relationship between the fluctuation that will be witnessed in politics in autumn and the Syria crisis?
Really, is there no aspect of the propaganda made through the “lie” about Syrians aimed at Turkey’s internal politics?
For God’s sake, are we still yet to understand the error of both perspectives developed with respect to disproportionately loving and disproportionately hating Syrians?
