Analyst Rules Out Possibility of Turkey’s U-Turn on Syria
DAMASCUS (Tasnim) – A Syrian military expert played down expectations that there would be a significant shift in the Ankara government’s policy toward Syria, saying Turkey is still overseeing certain terrorist groups in Syria.
Turkey, which has displayed extreme attitudes to the crisis in Syria over the past five years, is unlikely to begin a turnaround of its policies, Syrian military expert Kamal Jafa told Tasnim.
“Turkey is still having a role in managing certain terrorist groups. Turkey hosts the headquarters for logistical, financial and systematic support for the terrorists,” he added.
Jafa said the Turkish government avoids a marked shift in policy on Syria fearing that the Syrian opposition might disengage from Ankara and reach out to Saudi Arabia, which would be dangerous for Turkey in future.
As regards a recent meeting between the Russian and Turkish presidents, the military experts said, “I believe that Russia can change Turkey’s conduct in Syria.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan met in St Petersburg on Tuesday in the first visit after escalation of Moscow-Ankara ties in the wake of downing of a Russian fighter jet by the Turkish air force last November.
Russia and Turkey remain on opposite sides of the Syrian conflict, with Turkey and the rest of NATO supporting opposition against the government of President Bashar al-Assad, whom Russia has backed with military supplies and aerial operations.
