Erdogan announces Turkey will help Syria reform its government and create a new constitution

Turkey will provide support to the new Syrian administration in Damascus for the purpose of state restructuring and the development of a new constitution, as stated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday.

Erdogan indicated that Ankara is already collaborating with Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmed al-Sharaa and others to draft the new constitution, which he emphasized as a critical step following the ousting of long-time president Bashar al-Assad in December.

“We will share our experiences to assist the Syrian administration,” Erdogan informed reporters accompanying him during his visit to Cairo.

“Creating an inclusive constitution and establishing a political framework that will define Syria’s future are equally vital,” he continued.

Sharaa, also known by his alias Abu Mohammed Jolani, mentioned earlier this week that Syria aims to forge strategic relations with Ankara.

While the Turkish government has not openly supported HTS, the two entities have maintained interactions for several years.

Reports suggest that Ankara approved the operation to seize Aleppo last month, which contributed to the events leading to the removal of President Bashar al-Assad.

The new administration requires numerous critical elements, and we will not abandon them in addressing these challenges, Erdogan stated, assuring that Ankara would provide support in key areas such as energy, humanitarian assistance, and the reconstruction of the nation following years of conflict.

He further mentioned, “Our foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, will soon visit the region to collaborate on establishing the new framework.”

Ankara considers reconstruction vital for facilitating the return of nearly three million Syrian refugees currently residing in Turkey.

Turkish officials are also hopeful that the international community will lift the sanctions that were imposed on Syria during the Assad regime.

Erdogan indicated that Ankara would take measures to counter the threats posed by Kurdish separatist groups along Turkey’s southern borders.

“The end of the road is near for terrorist organizations,” Erdogan remarked, specifically referencing the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its affiliates in Syria.

Ankara perceives the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syria as an entity closely associated with the PKK.