Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani said they were pleased to host Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his delegation in Damascus, adding that the partnership between Türkiye and Syria was advancing rapidly.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Fidan, Shaibani said the short period since the talks held in Ankara in August demonstrated the momentum in relations between the two countries. He said the relationship was progressing on solid foundations and that the main outlines of its strategic direction had taken shape.
40 agreements in Türkiye-Syria relations
Shaibani said Türkiye was among the first countries to reopen its embassy in Damascus after Syria was liberated on December 8, 2024. He said Türkiye had reopened its border crossings and supply routes and had taken a leading role on international platforms in efforts to lift the sanctions imposed on the Syrian people.
Shaibani said dozens of meetings had been held between the two countries at the presidential and ministerial levels, and announced that 40 agreements and memorandums of understanding had been signed between them. He also said an institutional communications network had been established linking 22 Syrian ministries and institutions with their counterparts in Türkiye.
Shaibani said the developments had directly affected citizens' lives, citing the energy agreement signed in May 2025, the delivery of electricity across the border to northern Syria and the sister-city relationship between Aleppo and Gaziantep. He said road transit transport had resumed around the clock at the Bab al-Hawa and Salama border crossings, a free zone and dry port had opened in Idlib, and a bilateral mining memorandum had been signed.
The Syrian foreign minister said the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency had contributed to the rehabilitation of infrastructure and service sectors. Shaibani said more than 700,000 Syrians had returned to their country from Türkiye since December 8, 2024.
Strategic cooperation committee to be reactivated
Shaibani said the talks focused on reactivating the high-level strategic cooperation committee between Türkiye and Syria. He said the committee would serve as an institutional framework for political, diplomatic, economic and security affairs, as well as energy, return, education and cultural processes.
Shaibani said the committee would operate on the basis of joint leadership, regular meetings and a permanent secretariat responsible for following up on decisions. He added that they aimed to prepare a comprehensive strategic document on energy covering natural gas, electricity and grid interconnection.
Shaibani said trade volume had reached approximately $4 billion last year and that they aimed to raise it to $10 billion. He said the target was planned to be achieved through production partnerships, local content, employment for Syrians and the establishment of joint industrial zones in border areas.
Return program for Syrians in Türkiye
Shaibani announced that they had prepared a comprehensive organized return program for Syrians in Türkiye covering accommodation, employment and transportation services. He said the program, which would be administered by Syria, would be implemented in coordination with reconstruction projects in return areas.
Shaibani said they were on the verge of opening the Syrian embassy in Ankara, describing it as an important step. He said state institutions and a sovereign decision-making mechanism had been reestablished in Syria, adding that they were advancing toward forming a single national army, placing weapons under the control of legitimate institutions and reintegrating the northeast into national unity.
Shaibani stressed that, after approximately 20 months of efforts, the process concerning the Caesar Act sanctions imposed by the United States had ended and Syria had been removed from the list of countries supporting terrorism. He said that following these developments, approximately 1.6 million Syrians had returned to their country from abroad, while approximately 2 million internally displaced Syrians had returned to their own regions.
Shaibani addresses Israel's attacks
The Syrian foreign minister said the strategic partnership required an assessment of the regional situation, adding that Israel had violated Syria's sovereignty and continued territorial violations in the southern regions. Shaibani alleged that Israel had targeted safe villages and civilians' property, and said the attack on Abu al-Duhur Airport on August 18 amounted to a message targeting the Syrian state's reconstruction process.
Shaibani argued that efforts to prevent rapprochement between Syria and Türkiye reflected a desire to keep the region in a state of weakness and division. He said Israel should withdraw to the line held before December 8, 2024, and fully comply with the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement of Forces, adding that Syria remained committed to the option of diplomatic action.
Shaibani said Türkiye had clearly condemned the attacks, called for implementation of the 1974 Agreement and supported Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He said they welcomed this stance, adding that Israel's attacks on Syrian territory and institutions had not affected Türkiye-Syria relations and that ties between the two countries were experiencing their best period.
Shaibani alleged that Israel had continued its attacks on Syrian territory, facilities and civilian and military institutions since December 8, 2024, and said the attacks had not weakened Syria's determination to rebuild. He argued that there was no legitimate or legal justification for targeting Abu al-Duhur Airport and called on the international community to respect international law to protect and support Syria.
