The government of now former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should have taken advantage of the cessation of hostilities to "reconcile with the Syrian people," Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has stated, reports Al Jazeera.

"We woke up to a new Syria. The [Assad] regime collapsed, and the control over the country is passing from hand to hand—and this did not happen in an hour," Fidan said during a press conference at the Doha Forum Sunday.

He noted that Syria has been in "upheaval" for the past 13 years.

"However, since 2016, thanks to the Astana process, we have reduced the tension of the situation and actually frozen the war. The [Assad] administration did not use this opportunity to reconcile with its own people. As of this morning, Syria has reached the phase when the Syrian people themselves will decide the future of their country," said the Turkish foreign minister.