The Turkish delegation, headed by the Chairman of the Patriotic Party (Turkey) Doğu Perinçek and consisting of businessman, parliamentarians and former Ministers visited the Syrian Ba’ath Party. The delegation met on Sunday, the 1st of March, Mr. Hilal al-Hilal, Secretary General of the Syrian Ba’ath Party and the Chairman of the Political Bureau of the Party.
The Ba’ath Party, which is the governing Party in Syria, received the Turkish delegation at their headquarter. The Syrian press showed great interest to the visit.
Mr Hilal al-Hilal welcomed the Turkish delegation and the Patriotic Party (Turkey). He said:
We know that your party has very deep roots within the Turkish people and your Party comes from a great tradition.
We know that you pay great importance to secularism. While Tayyip Erdoğan still does not give up on the “Neo Ottomanism”, you represent the modern Turkey. And we believe that the Republic founded by Atatürk will not dissolve so easily.
Mr. Hilal al-Hilal continued his speech;
We know well that which difficulties you have been through by visiting Syria and how you will be under pressure of some people when you go back. However; from common history to lines of descent, Syria and Turkey are in need of each other. That's why we attach great importance to your visit.
We know that people of Turkey want to develop good relationships with their neighbours. Today, the present government had stolen Turkish Nation's will. But the governments are temporary, people are permanent.
“Those who attack Syria, will attack Turkey as well”
Our President, Mr. Bashar al-Assad, warned at the beginning. Those terrorist who attack Syria today, will attack Turkey in the future. The war in Syria will affect the countries nearby the most.
Perinçek: “We are at home here”
After the speech of Mr. al-Hilal, Doğu Perinçek began to speak. He said:
We are here at home. We came as a Turkish delegation. What unites us is the independency, integrities of both Turkey and Syria. Syria is our frontline. It is the frontline of the entire humanity. Taking side with Syria is a criterion for all over the world, because Syria is defending today the entire oppressed world.
And Mr. al-Assad proved in this war that it is possible to defeat imperialism. Due to you, the Project of the Greater Middle East has been defeated. They desired to fragmentize 24 Muslim countries, but they failed.
It is proven by experience: The territorial integrity of Syria means the territorial integrity of Turkey. We definitely reject the terror export to Syria. To fuel the fire at your neighbour is being disloyal and unvirtuous.
The burning issue of today is the terror incited by the USA and Israel. The separatist terror as well as the reactionary terror. See, the reactionary terror is dividing the Islam as well. We will prevent the 2nd Israel by uniting. They call it the “Kurdish Corridor”. The Kurds are ours; we call it the 2nd Israel project. And this project came to an end with your resistance.
We will unite the people of the region
After taking our lessons, we are facing this responsibility. We will unite the people of the region, because our future is common. When Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran are united they will become an invincible power. It is essential for peace and for the integrity of our countries.
A Turkish government friendly to Syria is coming – this is our need
And we promise our friends: Soon a Turkish government friendly to Syria will be established. This is what Turkey needs. You will see that those who are disloyal to their neighbours will collapse.
Economic Cooperation
And the union of the countries of the region will ensure all of us a great economic prosperity. The unity of Turkey, Syria, Iraqi Iran and Azerbaijan, namely the union of the five seas and five countries, will complete each other.
Mr. al-Hilal responded on this issue that President al-Assad worked hard on the five sea – five country project.
Rojava has no chance
Mr. Perinçek asked Mr. al-Hilal if the Greater Kurdistan Project is among the reasons for Syria being targeted.
Mr. al-Hilal response to this question is as follows:
I will express in first place what I say last: Our Kurdish brothers are the indispensable part of the Syrian community. And the vast majority of them are not supporting this project.
However, some groups, which are related to especially PKK, are taking part in this project. They have this kind of purpose.
But this purpose of them is not accepted by Syrian people in general. I am talking for Syria; there is no chance for this project to be implemented. You can not realize this project without overthrowing Syria. This project cannot be more than a dream.
In the meeting, the other members of the Turkish delegation spoke as well.
Mr. Barlas Doğu, Chief Advisor of the Chairman of the Patriotic Party and former Minister of National Defence said that the principle “peace in the country, peace abroad” of Atatürk forms the basis of the foreign policy of the delegation and that they therefore support al-Assad’s project of five seas – five countries.
Mr. Abdüllatif Şener, former Deputy Prime Minster between 2002-2007, added that he believes all terror groups will vanish and that the Syrian government and the Turkish Republic will remain.
After the meeting, Mr. Doğu Perinçek –Chairman of the Patriotic Party (Turkey)- answered the questions of the Syrian press.