Syrian Foreign Minister Esad Hasan Şeybani, who arrived in Ankara on August 6, 2026, met with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and İbrahim Kalın, head of the National Intelligence Organization. The visit focused on Syria’s security structure, economic cooperation and regional connectivity.
SDG integration and security issues
A meeting chaired by Syrian President Ahmed Şara was held in Damascus on the eve of the Ankara contacts. Mazloum Abdi, one of the leaders of the YPG/SDG, also attended the meeting. During Şeybani’s visit, the integration of the SDG, joint security cooperation, border security and counterterrorism came to the fore.
The meeting with İbrahim Kalın addressed issues related to the implications for Syria of the “Law Proposal on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration,” prepared במסגרת the “Terror-Free Türkiye process.”
The joint statement emphasized that all armed groups should be integrated into legitimate state institutions. It said that the process of reorganizing, professionalizing and institutionalizing the Syrian army was continuing.
Lebanon and the regional security approach
Şeybani’s agenda in Ankara was not limited to the SDG issue. Syria expressed support for the efforts of the governments of Syria, Iraq and Lebanon to dismantle armed groups.
The Lebanon file and Israel’s policies in the region were also among the issues discussed. While Syria was assessed to prioritize diplomatic tools in its Lebanon policy, its approach of protecting the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty was said to be reflected in its foreign policy.
Cooperation between central banks
About a week before the Ankara visit, Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye Governor Fatih Karahan held talks in Damascus. Karahan was received by Şeybani and also met with Syrian Central Bank Governor Muhammed Safwat Raslan.
The talks produced an agreement on opening reciprocal deposit accounts between the two countries’ central banks, strengthening technical and institutional cooperation, providing technical support to the Syrian Central Bank, and facilitating commercial and financial transactions.
The joint statement also underscored the importance of the Four Seas Initiative, as well as continuing efforts to develop road and rail links between Türkiye, Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
A framework combining security and the economy
The Ankara visit showed that security remains a central issue in Türkiye-Syria relations, while economic cooperation and regional connectivity are being addressed within the same framework. Security and economic cooperation were viewed as two complementary core areas of the relationship.
Integration and military centralization in Syria were identified as critical issues for the country’s territorial integrity and stability. The statement said that developing economic integration and regional connectivity should advance alongside efforts to strengthen state capacity and manage security risks.
