Turkey’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ahmet Yıldız, said on Wednesday that the Syrian government has made significant progress despite the significant challenges it faces, and is proceeding steadily and constructively in its engagement with the international community.
Yıldız’s remarks came during a UN Security Council session titled “The Situation in the Middle East.” Yıldız noted that the Syrian government has made significant progress despite the significant challenges it faces, adding, “The Syrian government is proceeding steadily and constructively in its engagement with the international community.”
The Turkish representative explained that the political process in Syria is also progressing gradually, and that the recent People’s Assembly (parliament) elections reflect the government’s commitment to a comprehensive national dialogue.
He stressed the need to support all national efforts aimed at preserving Syria’s unity and territorial integrity. The new Syrian administration has been making intensive efforts to ensure the security, unity, and stability of the country since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024, after 24 years in power.
Yildiz expressed his belief that the process of returning to normal in Syria will gain greater momentum when the country’s natural resources are managed by the Syrian government for the benefit of all Syrians. He emphasized the importance of lifting the remaining sanctions imposed on Syria.
Yıldız added that Turkey supports all efforts made in this direction. He also noted that Syrian officials have expressed a desire to strengthen local authorities administratively and financially, which is a positive development.
However, he warned at the same time of “the need to avoid demands that could undermine national harmony.”
The Turkish delegate noted that local communities are increasingly dissatisfied with the ideological and repressive practices of the terrorist PKK/YPG organization, which uses the name “SDF.”
He explained that these practices deepen local tensions, and that the closure of some Christian schools in the region simply because they reject the curricula imposed by the SDF is causing deep resentment within the Christian community.
Yıldız stressed the need to implement the March 10, 2025 agreement, calling for the reintegration of all governorates in northeastern Syria under the authority of the central government, administratively, security-wise, and civilly.
On March 10, the Syrian president and SDF commander Ferhat Abdi Şahin signed an agreement to integrate civilian and military institutions in northeastern Syria into the state administration, including the crossings, airport, and oil and gas fields.
The agreement affirmed the country’s territorial integrity and rejected partition, but the terrorist organization violated the agreement more than once.
On the other hand, Yildiz stated that Turkey strongly demands Israel’s withdrawal from the buffer zone in Syria and from the territories it occupied after December 8, 2024.
Although the new Syrian administration, in place since late December 2024, has not posed any threat to Tel Aviv, the Israeli military has repeatedly incurded into Syrian territory and launched airstrikes that have killed civilians and destroyed military sites, vehicles, weapons, and ammunition.
Since 1967, Israel has occupied most of the Syrian Golan Heights, and it exploited the events that led to the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in late 2024 to expand its occupation.
