Türkiye, Syria to establish communication coordination mechanism

DAMASCUS, Syria

Türkiye and Syria plan to establish a communication coordination mechanism that will operate on a 24/7 basis and serve as a bridge between the two countries, Turkish Presidential Communications Deputy Director Ferhat Pirincci said Thursday.

A Turkish delegation including Ambassador to Damascus Nuh Yilmaz and senior officials from the Presidency of Communications met with Syrian Information Minister Hamza Mustafa in the Syrian capital to discuss joint efforts and institutional cooperation in the field of communication.

Following the meeting, Yilmaz said Syria has recently gone through a critical period after years of internal conflict and has been exposed to intense disinformation campaigns, particularly during its fight against the PKK terrorist organization and in relation to developments in the coastal region and Sweida.

He noted that Türkiye has long faced similar disinformation campaigns and has developed significant experience and capacity in this field.

The two sides comprehensively evaluated how to better align their positions in combating disinformation, including through training programs, institutional capacity building and joint working mechanisms.

Pirincci described the visit of a broad Turkish delegation as an important step and said one of the most significant outcomes of the talks was the decision to establish a continuous and clear coordination mechanism between the two institutions.

He added that the planned mechanism will facilitate regular communication, mutual exchange of experience and closer cooperation in areas such as combating disinformation, media perception management, public diplomacy and crisis communication.

*Writing by Merve Berker