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Double Turkish Diplomacy: Dialogue with Washington to Reconcile with Assad and Strike the Kurds
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The Turkish-American talks in Ankara reveal Turkey's pursuit of its own interests in Syria, ignoring the sacrifices of the opposition and Kurdish rights, in an attempt to redraw the map of influence i
In the context of its attempts to redraw the map of influence in Syria, Ankara hosted a round of Turkish-American talks over the past Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Turkish side was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz, while the American delegation was led by Deputy Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, John Bass.
The talks, which Turkey claims aim to activate the political solution within the framework of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, actually reveal a Turkish agenda seeking to bypass the Syrian opposition and marginalize Kurdish rights.
According to the pro-government Turkish newspaper "Hurriyet", during the talks, the Turkish side presented a list of demands comprising 25 items, focusing on what Turkey calls "American support for Kurdish units". This reflects the continuation of Ankara's policy of denying Kurdish rights and its efforts to undermine the gains made by Kurdish forces in northern Syria, ignoring their crucial role in fighting ISIS.
In subsequent statements, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan referred to what he described as "a separatist organization controlling a third of Syria's area", in a clear reference to the Kurdish units, revealing Turkey's true intentions in seeking rapprochement with the Assad regime, primarily aiming to prevent any form of Kurdish self-rule in northern Syria.
These talks coincided with a meeting between Yilmaz and representatives of the Syrian opposition's negotiation committee, which appears superficially as an attempt to involve the opposition, but in reality represents a Turkish attempt to pass its own agenda under the guise of a political solution.
Analysts view these Turkish diplomatic moves as reflecting a dual approach, where Ankara seeks American support for its anti-Kurdish stance, while simultaneously paving the way for normalization with the Assad regime. This opportunistic policy completely ignores the sacrifices of the Syrian people and their aspirations for freedom and democracy.
In light of these developments, it appears that Turkey has finally abandoned its previous support for the Syrian opposition and the Muslim Brotherhood, preferring to achieve its own interests at the expense of the principles of the "Syrian revolution". Syrian opponents see this as a betrayal of the hopes of millions of Syrians who relied on Turkish support in confronting the Damascus regime.
These talks and diplomatic moves highlight the failure of Turkish policy in Syria over the past years. After contributing to fueling the conflict, it now seeks to evade its responsibilities and reconcile with a regime it long described as terrorist, leaving the Syrian people victims of narrow Turkish agendas.
Levant-Agencies
