A delegation from the Turkish Energy Ministry will visit Syria "soon" to discuss possible energy cooperation, including electricity transmission to address power shortages, Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said last night, quoted by Reuters, BTA reported.
Turkey, which supported Syrian rebels who ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad earlier this month after a 13-year civil war, has reopened its embassy in Damascus. The head of Turkey's National Intelligence Service (MIT), Ibrahim Kalin, and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Last week, Erdogan said Ankara would do whatever was necessary to rebuild Syria, including improving energy ties. "A delegation from the Energy Ministry will visit Syria as soon as possible and inspect Syria's electricity and energy infrastructure," Bayraktar told reporters.
The Turkish delegation will also discuss energy cooperation with the new Syrian government and Turkey's possible assistance in the matter, Bayraktar added. He said the main energy problem in Syria at the moment is the electricity shortage.
A formula will be sought for Turkey to provide electricity to Syria, he added. Turkey is currently providing electricity to parts of northern Syria, where it has conducted four military operations since 2016.