Prof. Dr. Çağrı Erhan: “The New Era in Syria Presents Great Uncertainties”

Altınbaş University Rector Prof. Dr. Çağrı Erhan stated that there are big question marks about the form of the new state and who in the international community will recognize this administration:

"HTS is still designated as a terrorist organization by the United Nations Security Council. So they have to change their name and completely distance themselves from the old structure. But if they do that, it is unclear whether the international community will be able to remove the terrorist label from them."

Prof. Dr. Çağrı Erhan also drew attention to the process of return of refugees and stated that the homes, dormitories and workplaces of the majority of the people who will return are devastated. He also said that important issues such as protecting the property of the fleeing people, maintaining public order and restoring the justice mechanism must be resolved.

“Relations with Russia and the United States are critical”

Prof. Dr. Çağrı Erhan also drew attention to the question of how the new administration will approach the agreements made by the former Syrian regime:

"Russia has military bases in the region and 49-year-old agreements. However, if the new administration states that these agreements were made by a tyrannical regime that does not represent the Syrian people, Russia's permanence in the region may be questioned. This could be a major setback for Russia, which has historically dreamed of reaching the warm seas."

Referring to the US presence in the region, Erhan said, "The US, which came in the name of fighting against DAESH, armed the terrorist organization PKK/YPG over time and progressed almost to the point of establishing a regular army. It is unclear how the new administration will respond to this situation.”

“A New Language and Definition is Necessary”

Erhan also stated that with the end of the Assad regime, the opposition in Syria should now be defined differently:

"If there is no longer an Assad government, how accurate is it to call these groups the opposition? Maybe it would be more appropriate to call them the new Syrian administration or the new components. We have to rethink how we define the future of Syria."

Altınbaş University Rector Prof. Dr. Çağrı Erhan concluded by emphasizing that there are many questions to be solved in this new period and that the future of Syria will play a critical role in international balances.