Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Wednesday that Turkey and Lebanon have agreed to collaborate on addressing the evolving situation in Syria, following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, ousted by an Islamist-led rebel coalition.
Najib Mikati (L) and Recep Tayyip Erdogan © X
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Wednesday that Turkey and Lebanon have agreed to collaborate on addressing the evolving situation in Syria, following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, ousted by an Islamist-led rebel coalition.
Erdogan made these remarks during a joint press conference with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who is currently on an official visit to Turkey.
“A new era has begun in Syria. We have agreed that we must act together as two significant neighbors of Syria,” Erdogan stated. “The stability of Syria determines the stability of the region,” he added, emphasizing that rebuilding the war-ravaged country will be a priority. “This is a crucial period where unity, solidarity, and reconciliation are essential.”
On December 8, a coalition of rebel groups led by the Islamist faction Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) seized power in Syria, toppling President Assad, who fled to Moscow after over 20 years of authoritarian rule. This shift has triggered significant regional implications, prompting Turkey and Lebanon to coordinate their response.
Erdogan underscored the inseparability of Lebanon’s security from regional stability, pledging Turkey’s continued support to Lebanon in the face of Israeli aggression.
“Turkey will stand by Lebanon against Israeli aggression,” Erdogan declared, while calling on Israel to respect the ceasefire agreed with Hezbollah. He also urged the United Nations and the international community to press Israel to fulfill its obligations.
For his part, Mikati expressed gratitude for Erdogan’s personal commitment to Lebanon:
“Your affection for Lebanon and our strong personal ties will open many doors for cooperation and assistance,” Mikati said, adding that “Israel’s aggression against Lebanon continues through daily violations.”
The ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel, in effect since November 27, has ended over 13 months of hostilities and two months of escalating tensions across Lebanon.
President Tayyip Erdogan said he believed ties between Turkey and Azerbaijan could overcome all obstacles and he would visit Baku on November 8, after tensions in recent weeks between the historic allies over regional and domestic policies.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he wanted to speak to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine, after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Saturday.
Saudi Arabia and Syria signed a cooperation agreement between the two countries' defense ministries on Wednesday, Saudi state news agency SPA reported, as Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group continues its missile and drone attacks on the kingdom.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.