Turkish-Syrian relations

Syrian-Turkish Relations

When Syria gained independence in 1946, its relations with Turkey were not natural until the end of the 20th century. Instead, a state of enmity and tension prevailed throughout this long period due to several reasons, including Turkey's annexation of vast Syrian territories as the Sanjak of Alexandretta in 1938 with French mandate support, and differences in strategic alliances and orientations between the two countries. While Turkey chose Atlanticist Western capitalist policies, most Syrian governments leaned towards leftist and socialist tendencies.

During this period, the countries entered into more than one conflict, which almost led to a devastating war between them. This was manifested on the ground by the reinforcement of military presence along the border and the planting of more mines on the Turkish side, making it impossible for any entity to cross. The conflict extended to include water issues, particularly in the 1990s, when Turkey built a series of large dams on the Euphrates River, thereby capturing most of its waters and completely halting the flow of the Khabur River into Syrian territory.

Tensions due to Israel

The tensions between Syria and Turkey escalated with the growing military cooperation between Turkey and Israel. The Syrian leadership viewed this as an attempt to put Syria in a pincer movement, and that the military, political, and security alliance between Turkey and Israel constitutes a strategic pressure on Syria in various fields, and is the basis for caution and suspicion, and a threat to Arab national strategic security.

On the other hand, Turkey accused the Syrian Ba'athist government of harboring and training elements of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and that it uses the "Kurdish card" to destabilize its security. Additionally, Turkey viewed Syria's political relations and cooperation with Greece suspiciously, as well as its relations with the Greek part of Cyprus.

Flags and Television Programs

Turkey has always expressed its discontent with Syrian television dramas that depict Ottoman oppression in Syria during the Ottoman era, including one instance where a Turkish foreign ministry spokesperson described these programs as exaggerated.

1998 Crisis and Agreement

The tensions between the two countries reached a peak in 1998 when Turkish leaders threatened to invade Syrian territory over alleged PKK attacks. However, the intervention of friendly countries such as Egypt and Iran, and Abdullah Öcalan's departure from Syria, led to a crisis that was eventually resolved with the signing of the Adana Agreement in 1998, which included the withdrawal of PKK fighters from northern Syria.

Post-1998 Relations

After the 1998 crisis, the Syrian-Turkish relations began to change, with both governments adopting a more conciliatory approach. This led to increased cooperation on security issues, followed by economic and political agreements. Several agreements were signed in various fields, most of which were implemented on time.

Relations under AKP Rule

The visit of former Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to Damascus in June 2000 gave a significant boost to changing Ankara's stance towards Damascus. This was reinforced by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's first visit to Turkey in 2004. However, the victory of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the Turkish elections led to a shift in relations between the two countries.

Note: The original text contains some Arabic names and terms that have been translated into English for clarity.