Assad regime’s media: “Adana Agreement” will be modified on the agenda of upcoming talks with Turkey
Media outlets loyal to the Assad regime announced that the upcoming discussions between the Assad regime and Turkey regarding the “Adana Agreement” will be modified as a new formula for cooperation between the two parties.
Al-Watan newspaper quoted an unnamed Arab diplomatic source as saying: “It is expected that Russia has already completed the agenda of the upcoming meeting between the Assad regime and Turkey, and it is possible that the meeting will take place at the end of this September.”
The source claimed that the meeting’s agenda “necessarily includes referring to naming who the terrorists are, defining a mechanism for cooperation between the Assad regime and Ankara to combat terrorism, in addition to setting a timetable for the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syrian territory, after completing the previous points related to combating terrorism to ensure the security of the common borders.”
The source added, “Reconsidering amending the Adana Agreement, which was previously presented as a new formula for joint cooperation between the Assad regime and Turkey to control border security, may also be on the agenda of the upcoming discussions.”
The source pointed out that these points need the approval of the concerned parties, especially the Assad regime, noting that Moscow was keen for the withdrawal of Turkish forces to be the most important item on the agenda of any upcoming discussions, in order to restore its sovereignty over the entire Syrian territory.
Earlier, Lavrov revealed that there are plans to hold a meeting in the near future between Turkey and the Assad regime with the aim of moving the wheel of normalization between the two sides, noting that the discussions he held last year were aimed at discussing conditions that would contribute to reaching the normalization of relations between the two sides.
The source explained that these discussions were meaningful even though we were unable to agree on moving forward, as Damascus believes that continuing the normalization process requires determining the procedures for the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syria. As for the Turks, they are ready for that, but no specific criteria have been agreed upon yet.
Lavrov said a few days ago that his country proposed to Turkey a return to the Adana Agreement to combat terrorists in northern Syria, but in agreement with the Assad regime.
Turkey had previously signed the Adana Security Agreement with the Assad regime in October 1998, with the aim of normalizing relations between the two countries following tension resulting from a number of complex issues, including borders, water, and the Syrian Democratic Forces.
The agreement included the need for Syria to commit, on the basis of the principle of reciprocity, not to allow any activity emanating from its territory with the aim of harming the security and stability of Turkey.
