Turkey aims to ease ties between Syria’s new rulers, UAE, and Egypt

Turkey Mediates Relations Between Syria, UAE, and Egypt Amid Regional Concerns

Regional sources say Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is trying to reassure Arab countries that the new radical Islamist rulers in Damascus are not seeking to export the Syrian revolution.

A sign of the Turkish leader’s efforts came in a phone call with Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan on Monday.

Some Arab countries, notably Egypt, have voiced alarm about the new Syrian leaders, who are believed to be members of al-Qaeda’s affiliate, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Despite reports that the new Syrian administration has been eager to disarm since taking power, and despite its leader Ahmed al-Sharaa’a denying his past ties to al-Qaeda, suspicions remain about its ideological ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, an enemy of the Emirati and Egyptian regimes.

The United Arab Emirates in particular has been accused by Islamists of acting against their political agenda in the region since the 2011 “Arab Spring” uprisings.

The UAE has been concerned about developments in Syria since the fall of Assad. Despite its engagement with the new Syrian administration, it has been reluctant, unlike other Gulf states, to send a political delegation to Damascus. According to experts, this indicates that the situation in Abu Dhabi is still unclear.

Observers say the Damascus government still needs to send credible messages both at home and abroad.

Erdogan discussed bilateral relations, developments in Syria and Palestine, and regional and international issues during a phone call on Monday, the Turkish presidential communications department posted on its social media accounts.

During the call, Erdogan stressed the importance of ensuring unity in Syria by establishing a state that includes various ethnic and religious groups.

Erdogan also stressed the need to prevent ISIS from exploiting the chaos in the region, and to prevent Israel from taking advantage of the current situation to undermine new developments in Syria.

The call with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed came amid talk of Turkish mediation between Egypt and the new Syrian administration.

A day later, on Tuesday, Syrian Foreign Minister Asad Hassan al-Shiban said on social media that he had received a phone call from his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, in which they discussed the importance of the two countries in bringing peace to the region.

In a statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Abdelatty underlined his country’s support for the Syrian people and their legitimate aspirations, calling on all parties to “protect Syria’s national institutions, its unity and sovereignty.”

Egypt’s top diplomat stressed that “the political process adopts an inclusive approach” for all Syrian national parties, reflecting the social, religious, sectarian and ethnic differences within Syria.

The two ministers agreed to remain in touch.