ANKARA: Turkey has announced the appointment of a chargé d’affaires for its embassy in Damascus, a significant diplomatic development as Turkey becomes the first country to establish such a diplomatic presence in Syria under the new regime. The Turkish Foreign Ministry has temporarily assigned Burhan Koroglu, currently Turkey’s Ambassador to Mauritania, to the position.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, this move is seen as an initial step towards the potential reopening of embassies between Ankara and Damascus. Western media outlets have highlighted Turkey’s role as the first nation to appoint a diplomatic envoy in Syria, pointing to a shift in regional diplomatic dynamics.

In related developments, a Turkish-Qatari delegation recently visited Damascus, marking the first such visit since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The delegation, which included Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and head of the intelligence service Ibrahim Kalin, as well as Khalfan al-Kaabi, head
of the Qatari State Security Service, engaged in discussions with Syrian officials. Key figures in the meetings included Commander-in-Chief of the Military Coordination Room Ahmed al-Sharaa and Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir.

The Syrian Ministry of Information stated that the meeting aimed to explore future strategies for Syria and encourage the new Syrian leadership to integrate more fully into the Arab, regional, and international communities. Efforts were also discussed to promote internal political dialogue among opposition parties and to support Syria’s political and economic renewal.