Shaybani's rebuff to Russia: All agreements from the Assad era are suspended

Syrian Foreign Minister Assad Hassan Shaybani stated that his country is undergoing a historic transformation in its diplomatic line, saying, “We do not accept the agreements made between Russia and the ousted regime. All of these agreements are suspended, and we have not yet reached new agreements.” In his statements to Syria’s official television channel, al-Ikhbariyya, Shaybani touched on a wide range of topics, from President Ahmed Sharaa’s UN session to his visit to Russia , to the negotiations with the terrorist organization PKK/YPG, and the security agreement with Israel.

Shaybani stated, "Syrian diplomacy is one of the fundamental pillars of reconstruction. Diplomacy is the first line of defense that protects Syrians' interests." Shaybani emphasized their opposition to attempts to divide and polarize the country, saying, "New Syria, unlike the previous era, is recognized on international platforms as an inspiring and proud example."

“President Ahmed Sharaa’s UN speech is a historic step that truly represents Syrians for the first time,” Shaybani said, noting that the speech carried an emotional content and summarized Syria’s story.

Commenting on his visit to Lebanon, Şeybani emphasized that the issue of Syrian detainees is among his top priorities. He stated that the decision-making phase has been reached on this case and that implementation processes have begun.

Referring to his meeting with the Russian delegation in Hama in November 2024, Shaybani said, “When the Russians asked me how long it would take to control Damascus, I said 48 hours. President Sharia said, ‘We need 10 days.’ But we were in Damascus in 36 hours.”

Regarding Sharia's visit to Russia, Shaybani stated that numerous topics were discussed, including the fate of Bashar al-Assad, reparations, the Russian military presence, and economic agreements. He noted that the process of opening up relations with Russia is progressing gradually. He stated, "We do not accept the agreements made between Russia and the ousted regime. All of these agreements are suspended, and we have not yet reached new agreements."

Noting that the location of Russian military bases was one of the topics being discussed, Şeybani said that discussions were being held on the mission definition of these bases and the status of their locations.

Şeybani stated that the PKK/YPG terrorist organization, which uses the name SDF in Syria, remaining outside state institutions has deepened the gap between itself and the state, saying, "We reject any division or federalism. This issue is not open to discussion or negotiation."

Shaybani explained that numerous meetings have been held with the organization since March 2024, noting that the most recent meeting was held on October 16 with the participation of the defense and interior ministers and the governors of Homs, Aleppo , and Damascus. Shaybani emphasized the need to quickly implement a partnership with the Kurdish component and stated that it was time to integrate the organization's military and security structures into state institutions.

Emphasizing that Israel is deepening instability in Syria, Shaybani stated that Israel's withdrawal to the borders established before December 8, 2024, that is, the borders established by the 1974 Agreement, is indispensable. Also addressing the Suwayda issue, Shaybani stated that Israel is exploiting this issue for nefarious purposes.

Shaybani also stated that China will play an important role for Syria and announced that they will pay an official visit to Beijing at the beginning of November.

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