03/16/2012 22:50
Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal met with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday in Ankara, in a meeting that focused on Palestinian reconciliation, Turkish daily Today's Zaman reported.
The two also discussed cooperation in the Middle East in the context of deteriorating relations between Ankara and Jerusalem, and various developments in the region as a result of the violence in Syria.
Today's Zaman quoted Erdogan as saying before the meeting that, “there are positive developments regarding relations between Hamas and Fatah. We will assess these developments.”
The meeting lasted for two hours, and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Justice and Development Party Deputy Chairman Omer Celik were also present, according to the report.
Earlier Friday, Erdogan said Turkey might set up a border "buffer zone" to protect growing numbers of Syrian refugees fleeing a violent uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad.
With the bloody revolt entering its second year, government forces battled protesters in at least three suburbs of the capital Damascus, opposition activists said. They also reported flare-ups in other towns and cities.
Erdogan, once a firm ally of Assad, said he was considering setting up a buffer zone along the border with Syria. Ankara might then withdraw its ambassador once its nationals had returned home.
"A buffer zone, a security zone, are things being studied," he told reporters in Ankara, but said other ideas were also under consideration. "It would be wrong to look at it from only one perspective."
Reuters contributed to this report
The two also discussed cooperation in the Middle East in the context of deteriorating relations between Ankara and Jerusalem, and various developments in the region as a result of the violence in Syria.
Today's Zaman quoted Erdogan as saying before the meeting that, “there are positive developments regarding relations between Hamas and Fatah. We will assess these developments.”
The meeting lasted for two hours, and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Justice and Development Party Deputy Chairman Omer Celik were also present, according to the report.
Earlier Friday, Erdogan said Turkey might set up a border "buffer zone" to protect growing numbers of Syrian refugees fleeing a violent uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad.
With the bloody revolt entering its second year, government forces battled protesters in at least three suburbs of the capital Damascus, opposition activists said. They also reported flare-ups in other towns and cities.
Erdogan, once a firm ally of Assad, said he was considering setting up a buffer zone along the border with Syria. Ankara might then withdraw its ambassador once its nationals had returned home.
"A buffer zone, a security zone, are things being studied," he told reporters in Ankara, but said other ideas were also under consideration. "It would be wrong to look at it from only one perspective."
Reuters contributed to this report
No comments:
Post a Comment