Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said that the new Syrian administration must be inclusive.
Syrian People Must Determine Their Own Future
He said that Syrian people would determine their own future after the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad by rebels.
“As of this morning, Syria has reached a stage where Syrian people will shape the future of their own country. Today there is hope,” Fidan said.
“The new (Syrian) administration must be established in an orderly manner, the principle of inclusiveness must never be compromised, there must never be a desire for revenge… It is time to unite and reconstruct the country,” he added.
How Did The Rebels End Assad’s Rule?
Syrian rebels declared Assad’s ouster after seizing control of Damascus on Sunday, ending his family’s iron-fisted rule after more than 13 years of civil war.
In a Press conference in Doha, Fidan said the Syrian people were not in a position to rebuild on their own.
He said that international actors and regional powers had to act with prudence and preserve the country’s territorial integrity.
Extremist Organizations Should Not Exploit The Situation
Terrorist organizations must not be allowed to take advantage of the situation, he added.
To a question on Assad’s whereabouts, Fidan said he believed he was out of the country.
Turkey Has No Contact With Assad
He said Turkey had no contact with Assad despite a call from President Tayyip Erdogan to hold normalisation talks, after years of animosity.
Fidan added Ankara had reached out to Assad but all efforts had failed.
Turkey has said it did not support the rebel operation in northern Syria, and that Assad’s refusal to engage in a serious political solution had triggered his downfall.
Chemical Weapons Must Be Secured
Fidan also said that chemical weapons and related materials should be secured.
He said that and Turkey which is host to some three million migrants from Syria, had started work on their return.
