Assad, Davutoglu Want to 'End Gaza Blockade'

Tuesday, 20 July 2010

Assad, Davutoglu Want to 'End Gaza Blockade'

20/07/2010

Syrian President Bashar Assad met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Damascus on Monday, and the two called for "additional, reinforced efforts" at ending Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip.

Earlier Assad hosted Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri for lunch along with Davutoglu. State-owned SANA reported that the three discussed "ties between Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey, and methods of strengthening them in a manner that will positively affect regional issues, especially the Palestinian one".

In a statement issued after their meeting, which also included Lebanese Prime Minister Sa'ad Hariri, they emphasized the importance of reconciliation between rival Palestinian factions as well, Channel 10 reported.

Assad and the Turkish minister also discussed tensions between Turkey and Israel following a calamitous Israeli army raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla in May when Israeli commandos raided a Turkish aid ship and killed 9 activists following a violent confrontation.

The Syrian president said recently that the crisis between Israel and Turkey would have dire consequences for the Middle East because it would derail peace talks between Israel and Syria. He stressed that peace talks with Israel would have to be mediated by Turkey.

The peace process between Israel and the Palestinians was also debated. "The reason for the stalemate is Benjamin Netanyahu's extremist government," the Syrian report said.

Assad's earlier meeting with Hariri was the third in recent months. The two expressed satisfaction with the amity fostered recently by the two leaders.