MSDAli Rahmoun, Deputy of the Co-chairman of Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), affirmed that the SDC would support normalization between Turkey and the authority in Damascus if it is based on achieving the interests of the Syrian people and the political solution to the Syrian crisis. Rahmoun pointed out that the normalization is a political issue to be exploited by Turkey and Russia. He stated that the SDC seeks to activate the intra-Syrian dialogue to reach a political solution.
For over two weeks, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been making statements about normalizing relations with Damascus and initiating discussions with Bashar al-Assad. Erdogan has recently announced that he had tasked the Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, with arranging a meeting between him and al-Assad. Regarding these official statements, Damascus has declared that any normalization of relations with Turkey must be based on foundations, including the withdrawal of Turkish forces from northern Syria and the cessation of support for terrorist groups.
In a related context, Rahmoun commented on these reconciliation attempts. He initially noted that the Sochi process, which was started under the auspices of the key actors involved in the Syrian issue, particularly Russia, Turkey, and Iran, with the Damascus authorities, had not been able to achieve a desired progress.
Rahmoun affirmed that after the political and military developments that took place in Syria, there was a halt in the normalization process between the Turkish and Syrian regimes.
“However, the current political and economic conditions in Turkey have prompted the Turkish government, through Russian and Iraqi mediation, to renormalize relation with Damascus,” Rahmoun stated.
Rahmoun viewed these developments as a form of media demagogy and an attempt to revive the normalization in order to achieve the interests of Turkey and Russia. “The normalization process is a media demagogy and political issue to be exploited by the Turkish government first, as well as Russia,” he added.
Rahmoun believed that normalization, when it serves the political solution process, will be supported by everyone. However, if the Syrian people suffer as a result, normalization will find no supporters. He noted the protests and popular movements that took place in northern Syria when Turkey declared about the normalizing relations, stressing that the protests erupted because everyone felt that this normalization was at the expense of the Syrian people.
Rahmoun questioned Turkey’s sincerity regarding its withdrawal from Syrian territory, pointing out that all the conditions are not suitable for normalization to happen. Therefore, achieving normalization is not as easy as it is believed to be.
“The Syrian political process is so complex that neither Turkey nor the Syrian regime can impose this path,” he emphasized. He reiterated that the normalization statements are nothing more than media demagogy or perhaps an attempt to revive relations between the Turkish government and the Syrian regime.
Rahmoun expressed solidarity with the Syrian people, and wished that their aspirations for repelling the Turkish occupation and eradicating jihadist factions would be realized. “Everyone desires Turkey’s withdrawal from the Syrian territories it has occupied and controlled. Everyone hopes and wishes for the return of the displaced and refugee residents to their homes,” he elaborated.
However, he raised critical questions such as: Is the Turkish government capable of doing this? Does it have a vested interest in doing this? Can the Syrian regime manage the resulting consequences? ” He suggested that both parties are currently unprepared for such a scenario.
Regarding the SDC’s position on normalization, Rahmoun asserted that if the normalization between the Syrian and Turkish regimes would not be at the expense of the Syrian people and occurred within the framework of a political solution, we would support it. Particularly, if it fulfills the conditions for the return of displaced persons and refugees to their homes. Also, if Turkey’s withdrawal from the occupied territories would be achieved. Finally, we would support normalization if it is based on achieving the interests of the Syrian people,” Rahmoun stated.
Rahman emphasized the urgent need for the authority in Damascus to present genuine solutions, particularly regarding the voluntary and safe return of displaced persons and refugees to their homes. He further underscored the importance of achieving stability through the political dialogue advocated by both the Syrian opposition and the SDC. This dialogue is crucial for reaching the much-desired solution that all parties hope to achieve as soon as possible.
In conclusion, Rahmoun reaffirmed the SDC’s unwavering commitment to utilizing all its resources to activate the intra-Syrian dialogue. He emphasized that the national dialogue is the cornerstone for achieving the political solution and the better future for Syria that everyone aspires to. The SDC aims to achieve a political solution that embodies justice, freedom, and dignity for all Syrian people.
