A New Era with Syria

During the Cold War, chill and even tense winds were blowing between NATO member Turkey and Soviet-leaning Syria. In that era and just after, Syria supported terrorist groups opposed to Turkey. The tense atmosphere this created grew worse with Damascus’ provocative stance on the issues of water and Hatay [a longtime Turkish province on the border with Syria and claimed by it]. This situation continued until Ankara forced Damascus to make a decision about terrorist PKK head Abdullah Ocalan. After then Syrian President Hafez al-Assad moved to expel Ocalan and the PKK from Syria, relations started to slowly normalize. Current Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s policy of opening to Turkey, his domestic reforms and new developments in the region have caused both countries to leave the past behind, look towards the future and establish a new state of relations.

Three problems have dogged Turkish-Syrian relations for years: terrorism, water and the Hatay issue. Now the problem of terrorism between the two countries has been resolved. The Hatay matter also seems to have been dropped, and both Ankara and Damascus are trying to solve their disagreements over water through negotiations. Thus, there’s no longer any serious hindrance to our developing bilateral relations. Maybe the only ‘brake’ politically speaking might come from foreign shores – that is, Washington doesn’t want Ankara to warm up to Damascus. However, the US can play a role in terms of ending certain disagreements between our countries. However, Turkey is determined to continue the process of rapprochement with Syria, as it is considered a key element of our regional strategy.

During Miro’s visit to Syria, four economic cooperation agreements were signed, and he also proposed new opportunities to Turkish businessmen. This year cross-border trade is expected to reach $1 billion. The emerging new state of relations between our two countries can open the door to other Arab markets for Turkey, and, for Syria, the door to European Union markets. All these things can start, in Miro’s words, our era of ‘strategic relations’.”