Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan denied a claim by incoming US President Donald Trump that the overthrow of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad was a "unfriendly takeover" by Turkey.

In comments that appeared to praise Ankara, Trump told a news conference earlier this week that Turkey was "very smart" and carried out an "unfriendly takeover without the loss of many lives" in Syria.

In an interview with Al Jazeera that aired on Wednesday, the Turkish Foreign Minister said it would be "a serious mistake" to describe the current events in Syria as a takeover by Turkey.

“For Syrian people, this is not a takeover. I think if there is any takeover, it is the will of the Syrian people that is taking over now," said Fidan.

The foreign minister also said the "last thing" Turkey wants is to be seen as the regional power that has final control over Syria, hinting at a culture of dominance that has blighted the region.

"Well, I think that would be the last thing we want to see because we are drawing big lessons from what happened in our region because the culture of dominance itself has destroyed our region," Fidan said. "Not Turkish dominance, not Iranian dominance, not Arab dominance, but cooperation must be essential," he said.

"Our solidarity with Syrian people should not be characterized or defined today as if ... we actually govern Syria. I think that would be wrong," he added.

Asked about US media reporting on concerns that the Turkish military may be prepared to launch a major military offensive in Syria to crush Kurdish forces hostile to Turkey, the foreign minister pointed to the YPG (People's Protection Units) as an "essential threat" to his country.

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) armed group is listed as a "terrorist organization" by Turkey and the West, and Fidan described the YPG as the PKK's "extension" in Syria.

The YPG has maintained its control of territory in Syria by presenting itself as helping the West in the fight against ISIL (ISIS), the foreign minister said. “I think this is a misrepresentation of their true identity. They are there as a terrorist organization," Fidan said.

"Unfortunately, our Western friends ... turn a blind eye to this fact that the YPG is an extension of the PKK," he said, adding that Ankara had called on Washington to increase its military support to the Syrian Democratic Forces, of which the YPG is the main fighting component.

Fidan also said that Syria's new government should tackle the issue of Kurdish forces in its territory, which would prevent the need for Ankara to act.

“There is now a new administration in Damascus. I think that is mainly their concern now. So, I think if they go, if they address this issue properly, there will be no reason for us to intervene,” he said.

Local witnesses told French news agency AFP there had been an increase in the number of soldiers patrolling the Turkish side of the border, but unusual military activity was not apparent.

Fidan also said that Turkiye recognizes the new administration in Syria as a "legitimate partner" for Ankara, which is why the Turkish embassy in Damascus has reopened and the ambassador has been instructed to communicate with local and central government officials.

Officials from the United Nations, European Union and other countries have also reached out to the new administration, Fidan noted, adding that the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group – whose leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also referred to as Abu Mohammed al-Julani, is the de facto leader in Syria – should be delisted as a 'terrorism' organisation.

"I think it's time for the international community, from the UN, you know, to remove their name from the terrorism list," Fidan said of HTS, which is the main component of the coalition currently ruling Syria.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged over the weekend that Washington is in contact with HTS, and discussions with the group were in the broad context of the future of Syria.

The US State Department has placed HTS on its list of "foreign terrorist organizations". May 2018 because of its association with the Al-Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda affiliate.

Since 2016, HTS's al-Sharaa has moved to distance the organization from al-Qaeda, positioning itself and HTS as credible caretakers of Syria in a post-Assad era.