Why is Turkey softening its approach toward Syria after years of hostility?

What is the reason behind Turkey suddenly changing its attitude towards Syria? After years of hostility towards the country, Turkey is moving to inch closer to the administrative structure of Syria. But the question that keeps bothering political experts is why now?

There was a time when Turkey and Syria did not see eye to eye and things remained that way for a very long time. But recent activities that are taking place from Ankara’s side are hunting at them trying to get in the good book of Syrian officials. But any clear indication or statement regarding their move is yet to come. 

Many suggest that Turkey might be changing its fregn policy in the wake of its recent activities where it had disrespected the west, especially the United nations, when it tried to meddle between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Even before that, the country had rough ties with fellow countries surrounding the Mediterranean region. 

Despite repetitive warnings from the European Union, Ankara did not seem to bother its activities in the disputed territory of the Mediterranean sea and carried on with search for energy resources. 

With all this, the Erdogan government has spoiled its relations and even with the United States, it was all the official documentation that was in process and any cultural development hardly took place. By this time, it had already made it clear that all it is after is power and greed to rule the majority of the region. 

Hence, there is a possibility that this is the reason the country is looking to mend ties with Syria as it will give Ankara a regional advantage, especially when most countries in the region are not on good terms with the Erdogan administration.

 

The president of the United States Joe Biden also reportedly urged Erdogan to work around its friegn policy and this is only after the reaction of Biden that Ankara may be moving to end the differences with Syria. However, some of the experts feel that it's not the doing of the US rather Russia who has slowly been regulating the happening in and out of Syria. 

As per a report, the most significant approach shown by Turkey to rebuild its ties with Syria can be analysed after the meeting between Hakan Fidan, the head of Turkey's intelligence apparatus, and his Syrian counterpart Ali Mamluk in the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

The Turkish media has been actively reporting on the meeting between the security officials of the two countries and also revealed the planning to take the talks further by scheduling othe meetings in the coming months. 

However, one thing is to be noted that Turkey believes in power and as soon as it saw potential in Syria analysing that it had been regaining the territories since 2016, Ankara started  to mend its ways within and outside the country. When ISIS was thrashed away from the country, there was a visible stability in the country and that interested Turkish power. 

The power that Assad is showcasing in the country is well taken into account by Turkey especially after he once again ‘won’ the presidential elections further cementing his position in the region. These developments make Ankara face the fact which there is no way to overcome Assad and Turkey will be at an advantage when it shows cooperation with Damascus.