DAMASCUS - Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Commander Ahmed al-Sharaa and visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held talks here on Sunday, during which both sides vowed to strengthen bilateral ties.

Speaking at a joint press conference following their meeting earlier in the day, Fidan expressed optimism for a "brighter future" for Syria and promised Türkiye's support in rebuilding Syria's infrastructure, restructuring its institutions, and returning displaced Syrians.

Restoring stability to Syria is crucial for the millions of refugees, Fidan said, calling for a consensus within Syria and a system to protect the minorities and include all faiths and ethnicities in Syria.

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"Terrorist organizations have no place in Syria's future," he said, taking aim at the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and its alleged affiliates in Syria, a party designated as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, and welcoming Syria's new authorities' intent to fight extremist groups.

He urged Israel to stop its military actions in Syria and respect the country's sovereignty and called for an end to international sanctions against Syria.

Cautioning that certain foreign powers exploit local proxies in Syria, Fidan said he expects US policy to shift in response to new realities.

For his part, al-Sharaa called Türkiye "a friend to the Syrian people," saying both sides aim to build "strategic relations befitting the future of the region."

Noting the pressing challenges facing Syria, such as a refugee crisis, poor economy, and rampant poverty, al-Sharaa voiced the new Syrian authorities' commitment to building a state that meets the aspirations of all Syrians and urged reaching a global consensus on ensuring Syria's unity and lifting all sanctions against the country.

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Also on Sunday, a Saudi Arabian delegation led by a royal court advisor met with al-Sharaa at the presidential palace in the Syrian capital of Damascus, according to Al-Arabiya TV.

Details of the meeting have not been disclosed, and neither side issued an immediate statement.

The visit comes amid a wave of high-level contacts between Syria's new authorities and regional as well as international representatives, reflecting a broader reassessment of relations with Damascus as the country navigates a sensitive political transition following the downfall of the previous government on Dec 8.

On the same day, Saudi Arabia's King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center distributed food baskets and hygiene kits to 551 families in northern Syria's Aleppo, the second phase of a project providing support to those affected by the earthquake in early 2024, said the official Saudi Press Agency.

"It is unacceptable for any group in Syria to possess weapons," he said, stressing the need to disarm all factions across Syria, including areas under the control of the PKK and its alleged affiliates.

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He stressed the importance of uniting military forces under a new Defense Ministry, adding that most armed factions in Syria have agreed to a single chain of command.

According to Turkish state-run TRT broadcaster, the meeting was also attended by Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz, Burhan Koroglu, acting charge d'affaires at the Turkish embassy in Damascus, and Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, Syria's interim foreign minister.

Al-Sharaa, also known by his nom de guerre of Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, led a 12-day military operation that resulted in the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government on Dec 8.