Physical Address
Indirizzo: Via Mario Greco 60, Buttigliera Alta, 10090, Torino, Italy
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan late Thursday received U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Ankara for talks focused on a critical aspect of establishing stability in Syria after the overthrow of brutal dictator Bashar Assad.
The meeting at the Esenboğa Airport was also attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the president’s Chief Advisor Akif Çağatay Kılıç and Communications Director Fahrettin Altun.
The Presidency shared a photo from Erdoğan’s meeting with Blinken in a post on social media X, but did not share details about the talks.
Blinken arrived after visiting Jordan on his first trip to the region since opposition forces toppled Assad following a 12-day lightning offensive that marked one of the biggest turning points for the Middle East in generations.
He is due to hold talks with Fidan on Friday.
NATO allies Washington and Ankara supported Syrian opposition forces during the 13-year civil war. They have both said they wanted the new Syrian administration to be inclusive and for Syrians to determine their own future.
Türkiye was expected to put heavy emphasis on its security concerns in Syria, where it has been fighting the PKK terrorist group wing YPG, which is backed by Washington under the guise of a fight against the Daesh terrorist group.
Before arriving in Ankara, Blinken said the PKK is an “enduring threat” to Türkiye.
“At the same time… we want to avoid sparking any kinds of additional conflicts inside of Syria at a time when we want to see this transition to an interim government and to a better way forward,” he said.
Seperately on Thursday, Turkish intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalın, arrived in Damascus for what the Syrian Information Ministry said would be talks involving its new leadership.
It marked the first visit by a senior foreign official since Assad’s fall.
Kalın and Qatar’s head of state security, Khalfan al-Kaabi, arrived in the capital to meet with Syrian opposition leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, and caretaker prime minister Mohammad al-Bashir.
Kalın was seen arriving at the Umayyad Mosque to pray, amid heavy security measures and large crowds, according to video shown on Turkish television.
Later on Thursday, Türkiye named a new chief of mission to its long-closed embassy in Damascus, which it has pledged to reopen following Assad’s fall.
Burhan Köroğlu was named temporary charge d’affaires at Türkiye’s embassy, Anadolou Agency reported, citing Foreign Ministry sources.
Türkiye closed its embassy in late March 2012, a year after Syria’s civil war began, due to the deteriorating security situation amid calls by the Turkish government for Assad to step down.
On Tuesday, Fidan said Ankara would reopen the embassy when conditions allowed.
Blinken’s visit is also expected to focus on a possible cease-fire agreement in Gaza, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of State.
