Dear colleagues,
I am glad to welcome you to Moscow. This is an important new format.
The peoples of Turkey and Syria are connected by centuries of common history, the pages of which are filled with episodes that inspire pride in the hearts of both Turks and Arabs, Kurds. Religious and cultural community, as well as geography itself, make the development of mutually beneficial good-neighborly cooperation between Turkey and Syria no alternative. The discord between these countries does not meet the aspirations of all those in the region and beyond who sincerely wish the Middle East peace, tranquility and prosperity. It is no coincidence that Russia and Iran maintain good relations both with Syria and with Turkey, today they are not just mediators, but interested participants in a multi-level negotiation process aimed at the comprehensive normalization of relations between Ankara and Damascus.
Our reaction to the relevant initiative of the President of the Republic of Turkey, R.T. Erdogan, was constructive and prompt. Already on December 28, 2022, the first meeting of the defense ministers of Russia, Syria and Turkey with the participation of the heads of special services took place at the Moscow site. Taking into account the fully justified desire of our Iranian colleagues to join this process, today we are starting a parallel launch of the foreign policy track in a quadrilateral format, which now includes all the guarantor states of the Astana Process and the Syrian Arab Republic.
We are deeply convinced that the Astana Platform, which we have all worked hard to create, has a great future. Prospects are opening up for turning this platform, which has already proved its relevance, from a mechanism of military and political stabilization into an effective tool for regional cooperation, taking into account the potential of our countries and the demand for efforts to promote the post-conflict reconstruction of the Syrian Arab Republic, creating material prerequisites for the return of millions of Syrian refugees, most of whom have found shelter in neighboring Turkey.
I would like to address the Turkish and Syrian negotiators separately. We expect you to be as flexible and constructive as possible. Confrontational rhetoric and the memory of past grievances are probably better left outside the meeting room. I sincerely urge you to conduct the discussion based on a clear and understandable principle of mutual respect for the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Syria and Turkey, guided by the desire to overcome the accumulated problems as soon as possible and restore good neighborliness.
Historical experience, including Ukrainian experience, suggests that sovereignty is strengthened as relations with neighbors develop and weakens, or even may be lost altogether, in a situation where, as a rule, barriers to traditional mutually beneficial cooperation are artificially built, not without external influence, and provocative threats to the security of neighboring states are created.
It is clear that all these issues cannot be resolved in two or three meetings. As we say, “in one sitting.” The normalization process will take a long time. But, according to wise Chinese friends, “a long way begins with a small first step.” The main thing is to look for common ground to form a balance of interests and avoid preconditions. Moreover, a lot of mutual claims have accumulated from all the numerous parties involved in this conflict for many years.
I know that there are texts on the table of your meeting that were presented by individual delegations. I am sure that on the basis of these proposals it will be possible to reach a collective position.
Together with our Iranian colleagues, we will do everything in our power to ensure conditions for your productive work.
I wish you and us success together. I look forward to your agreement on the date of the meeting in Moscow at the level of foreign Ministers with my friends and colleagues H. Amirabdollahian, M. Cavusoglu, F.Mikdad. We have proposed some dates that could become generally acceptable based on the results of your negotiation round.
I sincerely wish you to reach generally acceptable agreements.
