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Çiftçi in Damascus
Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi arrived in Damascus on Tuesday to discuss with Syrian officials security cooperation, disaster management, and training of security forces, and to address the voluntary return of Syrians residing in Turkey.
“Deputy Syrian Interior Minister Abdul Qader al-Tahan received Çiftçi at Damascus airport”
Al Jazeera Net said Deputy Syrian Interior Minister Abdul Qader al-Tahan received Çiftçi at Damascus airport, and Çiftçi was scheduled to hold meetings with Syrian President Ahmad al-Shar' and Syrian Interior Minister Anas al-Khatab, as well as Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed al-Saleh.
Anadolu Ajansı reported that Çiftçi met Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab at Tishreen Palace, where the talks focused on security cooperation, public order, and strengthening Syria's institutional capacity.
Caliber.Az said the meeting included discussions on cooperation on establishing a 112 emergency call service and ambulance network, and on training Syrian police officers.
SANA reported that Raed al-Saleh and Çiftçi signed a cooperation memorandum in Damascus aimed at establishing an effective framework for joint disaster and emergency management, including mutual assistance and response during disasters or emergencies.
Security, returns, and red lines
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey supported, in principle, any reconciliation among the Syrian parties, "whatever the actors involved", as long as certain fundamental principles were respected.
Anadolu Ajansı quoted Fidan saying Turkey had "its own concerns and red lines" on national security, and assessed that the agreement reached between the Damascus regime and the YPG/SDF was of particular importance.
Middle East Online said the Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci met Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab in Damascus, underscoring Ankara's support for Syria's transitional authorities and efforts to create conditions for the large-scale return of Syrian refugees.
The Arab Weekly reported that refugee returns featured prominently in the discussions, with both governments seeking to establish a framework for the voluntary, safe and orderly repatriation of Syrians living in Turkey.
Turkish Minute said Çiftçi told reporters that Turkey would continue to support the voluntary, safe, dignified and orderly return of Syrians, and that "We are not forcibly sending back any of our Syrian brothers," as stability improved in Syria.
Memorandums and institutional capacity
Caliber.Az said the two ministries signed memorandums of understanding after delegation-level talks, including an agreement on cooperation in disaster and emergency management.
“The protocol focuses on: developing security training programs; raising the proficiency of personnel”
Middle East Online reported that the talks covered security cooperation, migration management, policing, border security and public order, and that the ministers discussed cooperation on combating organised crime, smuggling and narcotics trafficking, intelligence-sharing, border management and police training.
Turk Bers said Turkey, through its permanent representative to the United Nations Ahmet Yildiz, reaffirmed its commitment to the unity of Syrian territory and stressed the need for no military or administrative entities parallel to the state.
Nyu Turk Boost described a new cooperation protocol between the Syrian Ministry of Interior's Rehabilitation and Training Administration and the Turkish Gendarmerie, focusing on developing security training programs, exchanging technical expertise, and organizing specialized courses and workshops.
SadaNews said the visit included a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of disaster and emergency management, and that the agenda also included discussing ways to exchange information and expertise in the fields of combating smuggling, organized crime, and drug trafficking.
