About 2.5 million in Turkey expected to return to Syria if there is peace, says MP

Millions of Syrian refugees are watching and hoping for a peaceful transition from Turkey, according to MP Kani Torun

Syrians on the Turkish side of the Cilvegozu Border Gate, between Turkey and Syria, near Hatay. AP

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About 2.5 million Syrians living in Turkey are expected to return to Syria if the right conditions are met, a Turkish MP has said.

Thousands of Syrian refugees in the country have already gathered on the Turkish border eager to go home, after the collapse of Bashar Al Assad’s regime days ago.

Many have been motivated to do so since the fall of Aleppo last week, where a large portion of those refugees came from.

It's probably to the best of to the benefit of everyone for these refugees to be returned in an orderly and timely manner

Dogan Demir

Kani Torun, who is deputy chairman of the Turkish government’s foreign affairs committee, said that while it was still too early to confirm the numbers, he expects the majority of the 3.5 million-plus Syrian refugees in Turkey to go back to Syria.

However, their return will depend on Syria’s transition, and Mr Torun urged the international community to support the creation of an “inclusive government” and to help finance resettlement.

“It is too early to say how many people will go back. If there is a peaceful transition many people are likely to go back,” he said.

“The international community should help set up an inclusive government. That’s the reason the international community should be involved and finance this resettlement issue,” he said.

Turkish MP Kani Torun. Photo: Ceftus

Growing anti-migrant sentiment in Turkey

The UK and other European countries had stopped processing asylum applications for Syrians after the fall of the Assad regime.

British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said that the UK had “paused asylum decisions on cases from Syria while the Home Office reviews and monitors the current situation”.

This also has implications for Turkey, where the vast majority of Syrian asylum seekers are based.

In Turkey, there is growing resentment against Syrian refugees and a growth in its far-right running on anti-immigration rhetoric in recent elections.

Turkish mayors from the main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), had launched a campaign aimed at helping refugees return after the collapse of the regime, with promises to pay their transport and relocation costs.

Dogan Demir, a former member of the CHP and now a Future Party MP, called for Syrian refugees to be returned “in an orderly and timely manner”.

“What's happened to the Syrian people, what they've suffered is a tragedy,” he said on Monday.

“But ultimately the refugee influx has had numerous economic and sociological negative effects on Turkey, and it's probably to the benefit of everyone for these refugees to be returned in an orderly and timely manner,” he said.

“Within Turkey, there are a lot of eyes fixed on Syria, and the country's future revolves around the peaceful solution,” he said.

Turkish MP Dogan Demir. Photo: CEFTUS

No partition of Syria

Although the future in Syria was uncertain, Mr Togun remained optimistic.

The conflict between the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the north-east of the country was a point of concern.

The SNA’s goal was to “clear the west of the Euphrates river”. “There could be some Kurdish enclaves in the north-east, and in Latakia some Allawi enclaves, the resit is the new government,” he said.

Nonetheless, Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, the Islamist force that toppled the Assad regime has since taken control of Damascus, has shown “positive developments” in its formation of a new government.

Aleppo’s Bishop Hanna Jaalouf was appointed as head of the governorate, and Hayat Tahrir was now talking to the Alawis in Latakia to set up a local government.

The country should be governed by a coalition of groups, rather than Hayat Tahrir having full control, and the international community should work to ensure the country remains unified.

“The country should be governed by a coalition of forces, not just HTS. The new government should be more inclusive and, of course, democratic. Hopefully not just Turkey, also the other international forces will work in this way and, integrate the country,” he said.

The risks of partition meant the situation was “dangerous”. “Partition is not the solution in Syria,” he said.

Mr Demir also warned against partition, which would be “bad for the country and those around it.”

“I'm very worried about the future of Kurds and Alevis in the region,” he said.

The UK and western governments could play a role in diplomacy and providing humanitarian aid – but he urged them not to get involved militarily. “No military please,” he said.

“Humanitarian aid, rebuilding the country, financing, and diplomatic help,” he said.

He also called for new actors to lead a peace process, in a new grouping that would involve Turkey, Qatar and the US.

“Russia and Iran are out, and there should be new actors involved,” he told The National.

“The Arab League should be involved, and also Qatar, because they have money and is an Arab nation. Turkey because of its influence on the rebel movement, and the US of course. Hopefully, they will work together,” he said.

Russia’s involvement would be as a member of the P5, but he did not expect it to be “an obstacle for peace” in Syria, owing to its current involvement in Ukraine.