Türkiye confirmed that it will continue its technical talks with Israel to reach a de-escalation mechanism, establish rules of engagement, and prevent incidents or clashes on Syrian territory.

The Turkish Foreign Minister said that his country seeks to achieve stability in Syria, avoid any provocations, and is working to avoid entering into any conflict with any country within Syria.

Turkish and Israeli delegations held talks in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, last Wednesday to avoid incidents or clashes in Syria. Tensions have escalated over the past two weeks due to Israeli targeting of sites in Homs and Hama, and reports that Turkey is planning to establish air bases there.

In response to a question about the Turkish-Israeli meeting in Azerbaijan during a press conference held at the conclusion of the 4th Antalya Diplomatic Forum on Sunday, Fidan said that technical talks on the de-escalation mechanism with Israel will continue when necessary.

Israeli sources said the talks would continue after the Passover holiday, which runs until April 19. Turkish Defense Ministry sources confirmed Thursday that the technical talks, held in Azerbaijan, aimed to open a communication channel to avoid potential misunderstandings regarding military operations in the region and prevent any unwanted incidents, and that these talks would continue.

An Israeli official told The Times of Israel on Friday that Tel Aviv is "very optimistic" about de-escalation talks with Turkey and is "even open to Turkey maintaining a limited military base in Syria."

He added that the Baku talks were held "in good faith" and that there would be further discussions.

A Turkish official delivered a similarly positive message to the Israeli newspaper, stressing that "Turkey's concern has always been the cross-border terrorist threat from Syria into Turkey," referring to the threats posed by ISIS and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)-Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG). Beyond that, Turkey does not seek any conflict with any other country in Syria.

Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime last December, Israeli officials have warned of "extensive" Turkish support for armed groups operating in the Turkish-Syrian border areas.

Sources have reported that Turkey is seeking to establish three air bases in Syria to prevent Israel from controlling its airspace and to use these bases to combat ISIS. However, a responsible source in the Turkish Ministry of Defense has twice reiterated that Turkey is considering a request from the Damascus government to establish a military training base in Syria.

Israel launched airstrikes on Syrian military sites in Homs, Hama, and Damascus, and reports indicated that Turkey was planning to deploy forces to the T4 (Tiyas) air base and the Palmyra military airport in eastern Homs, heightening tensions between Ankara and Tel Aviv.

Israeli concerns

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned that repeated Israeli strikes on military installations weaken the new Syrian government's ability to deter threats, including those from ISIS.

During a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, Trump advised Netanyahu to act rationally with Turkey, praising his relationship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Trump told Netanyahu, "If you have a problem with Turkey, I think we can work it out, and you have to deal with it rationally."

Turkey's actions following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime highlighted its desire to fill the military vacuum by establishing land, sea, and air bases in central Syria and along its coasts. Turkey also played a major role in the Syrian economy and reconstruction process, intervening in all sectors, from health to education and beyond.

This trend has raised concerns in Israel, which fears that Turkey will replace the Iranian presence in Syria with its Turkish presence. It also fears that Turkey is attempting to impose a new fait accompli in Syria, where it will act as a political and security guarantor, relying on its relations with armed factions with anti-Israeli tendencies.

Erdogan's visit to Syria

On the other hand, Fidan responded to a question about a possible visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Syria, saying, "Mr. President has such an intention and intends to visit Syria," noting that work is underway to determine a suitable date for such a visit.

Syrian transitional president Ahmed al-Sharaa visited Turkey for the second time on Friday to participate in the Antalya Diplomatic Forum and meet with Erdogan.

Erdogan and Shara discussed developments in Syria and bilateral relations in various economic, trade, and energy sectors, in the presence of the two countries' foreign ministers, Hakan Fidan and Asaad al-Shaybani, and the Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar.

Erdogan expressed his happiness at thwarting attempts to re-instill chaos in Syria through the events on the Syrian coast. He emphasized the importance of strengthening economic and trade cooperation with Syria, and the possibility of expanding this cooperation to include other areas. He also emphasized that his country would continue its support to restore Syria's stability, as it has done in the past.