The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, conveyed this Tuesday to the president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the need to protect the territorial integrity and minorities in Syria, in a call in the midst of the offensive by rebels supported by Ankara against Kurdish forces in northern Syria.
In a message on social networks, Von der Leyen has indicated that she has had a “substantial exchange” with Erdogan on the open crisis in Syria after the fall of Bashar al Assad’s regime following the lightning offensive by rebel and jihadist groups that have the support of Türkiye.
In any case, the head of the European Executive has reiterated that in the open scenario in Syria “territorial integrity must be preserved and minorities protected.” In this context, the community president has announced a trip next week to Türkiye to meet with Erdogan and discuss in person the implications of the situation in Syria for the entire region.
This message comes as the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) militia, which is backed by the United States and was key in driving back the Islamic State in Syria, has accused Turkish-backed Syrian rebels of launching an offensive against its positions. and attacking a dam located on the Euphrates River.
For its part, the Turkish Presidency has reported in another message that Erdogan has confirmed “firm support for the Syrian people in the coming period in order to cleanse Syria of terrorist elements, guarantee its unity, protect its territorial integrity and ensure that all Syrians, with all their ethnic and religious elements, live in peace.”
He has also pointed out that in the call with Von der Leyen both discussed the process for “the honorable, safe and voluntary return” of the Syrians, something that the leader of the Community Executive has not mentioned in her messages, pointing out that the reconstruction of Syria ” will accelerate this return.” In the last few hours, several European countries have declared their intention to stop the asylum procedures for Syrian citizens and to explore ways to proceed with their return to Syria after the departure of Al Assad from power.
For his part, the president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, has maintained another round of contacts with the president of Israel, Isaac Herzog, and King Abdullah of Jordan, in which he has discussed the implications of the fall of the Syrian regime for the stability in the region.
“I remain in close contact with the leaders of the Middle East on this matter, to assess the situation. Respect for human rights and the protection of minorities, as well as the territorial integrity of the country, are fundamental for the EU,” he said. the former Portuguese prime minister in a message on social networks after the calls, insisting on the EU line to promote a political transition in Syria that is peaceful and inclusive.
Likewise, Costa has confirmed in this message that the situation in Syria after the triumph of the rebel and jihadist groups will be addressed by the leaders of the 27 at the last European summit of the year scheduled for December 19 in Brussels, an occasion in which the European leaders will be able to evaluate the first steps taken by the new Syrian authorities that emerged after the collapse of the Al Assad regime.