Epstein files: Erdoğan personally warned Assad before Syria war

Documents found in the Epstein case files shed light on Türkiye’s diplomatic efforts in the period leading up to the Syrian war.

Among them are protocols of a secret phone conversation in 2011 between then-Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media.

At that time, Türkiye was calling on former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to implement reforms, which ultimately were not carried out.

Davutoğlu noted that Türkiye offered Syria two possible paths: immediate reforms with a clear timeline or international isolation similar to Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi.

The documents also indicate that Türkiye warned it “would no longer remain silent” if Syria refused reforms. Assad reportedly took temporary measures, such as withdrawing tanks from Hama and authorising international observers to monitor the situation, but soon abandoned these steps.

The documents confirm that the U.S. was preparing to take a hardline stance against Assad, and during this period, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan personally called Assad to deliver a final warning. Following these events, Türkiye shifted its policy toward Syria, supporting opposition forces and adopting a tougher stance toward Assad’s regime.

The Jeffrey Epstein case refers to the criminal activities and extensive network of Jeffrey Epstein (1953–2019), a U.S. financier and convicted sex offender who was accused of running a large-scale sex trafficking operation involving underage girls and young women. Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to Florida state charges of procuring a minor for prostitution and solicitation, serving a controversial 13-month sentence with work release. He was rearrested in July 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges but died by suicide in jail the following month while awaiting trial, leading to widespread conspiracy theories and scrutiny of his powerful connections.

Epstein cultivated relationships with politicians, business leaders, scientists, royals, and celebrities. Many flew on his private jet or visited his properties, including Little St. James island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. No major figures have been criminally charged solely based on these associations, though some (like Prince Andrew) settled civil suits.

By Khagan Isayev