Aleppo - The Syrian-Turkish Strategic Cooperation Council, which was established during President Bashar al-Assad's recent visit to Turkey, is a historic event, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said on Tuesday.

"We are close to mark the crossing of joint borders indicating the official signing of the ending of entry visa requirements between Syria and Turkey," al-Moallem added in a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu.

He went on saying "This day is what Davutoglu has called it, a festival to celebrate for both Syrian and Turkish peoples. It sets an example for other brothers in the region to follow."

Al-Moallem also said "In today's session, aspects of strategic cooperation and action have been reviewed. We've got a feeling that ministers of both sides do share identical views. We look forward to an economic integration and cultural as well as human exchange."

Al-Moallem: Syria and Turkey complete each other, invitation open to all brothers to cooperate with us

Al-Moallem said, "President Bashar al-Assad's view to link the four seas is strategic and extensive, and it goes in harmony with the geographic and historical location of the region and with the joint desire of the leaders and peoples of these countries."

He added, "Few days ago, Damascus received the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz ...Syria's relations with all brother countries are distinguished in all political and economic fields since we have the Arab Joint Market and the Arab Gas Pipeline".

The Foriegn Minister pointed out that the first agreement on strategic cooperation was signed between Syria and Iraq a month before the strategic cooperation agreement with Turkey, saying "Nothing is at the expense of another; Syria and Turkey complete each other and invitation is open to all brothers to cooperate with us."

Davutoglo: Syrian-Turkish cooperation is strategic, and relations with Syria help develop our relations with the Arab world
For his part Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said"Signing of the ending of entry visa requirements between Syria and Turkey is an Eid to the peoples of both countries who celebrate two eids every year, but this year they will celebrate three eids."

Minister Davutoglu asserted the importance of the Syrian-Turkish meetings on the strategic and political levels, saying" This is the first meeting of the Syrian-Turkish Strategic Cooperation Council through which we take a step towards a strategic work."

"After one or two months at the beginning of December during the visit of the Turkish Prime Minister to Syria and under the patronage of both countries premiers, a high-level meeting will be held between the Syrian and Turkish sides" he added.

He went on saying "we held very important and fruitful meetings. We dealt each other as two countries with one delegation and we specified the basic frameworks...During the meeting to be held today in Gaziantep city we will discuss signing different tangible agreements and this is an example to follow."

"This is a message to the region and we hope that this would achieve the cultural and economic integrity between the peoples of both countries and cooperation will spread in the region, he pointed out.

Davutoglu said, "Today with regard to the Syrian-Turkish friendship is a symbol of the joint destiny, history and future of both countries."

The Turkish Foreign Minister went on to say "Syrian-Turkish relations are basic element in developing the relations with the Arab world and the Middle East, as well as developing ties with neighboring countries."

Davutoglu considered these relations necessary and indispensable, saying "we share the same geography and look at this relation as enhancing our relations with Arab countries".

"Syria is a lovely country for us and one of the most important states in The Arab League, so no one should worry about the development of the relations between Syria and Turkey since these relations aren't alternative of any relation with any other country, but they will help in developing Arab-Turkish relations." Turkish Minister added.

In response to a question on the progress of the Syrian -Turkish ties into military and security fields, Davutoglu said, ''these relations complement the former, since there are advanced relations with Syria and Iraq in the high-level strategic cooperation''.

''Turkey's relations with the EU do not go against relations with Syria, and if Turkey joins the EU, Syria will be a neighbor of the EU through Turkey, and at the same time when Syria complements Turkey, then Turkey's relations with the Middle east will grow,''

''We desire that we will reach, with Syria and Iraq, the level of relations that we aspire to in our relations with other countries, and on the other hand these relations achieve full complementarity, and we shouldn't view them as an alternative to other relations, since all of these relations affect each other positively,'' Davutoglu added.

In reply to a question on the peace process, Davutoglu said, '' Concerning indirect talks between Syria and Israel, we assumed the role of mediation in those talks, and what has been reached is credited to Syria's trust in us, but meanwhile Israel launched its aggression on Gaza and gave a strong blow to peace talks in the Middle East, and the images of children and innocent civilians being killed do not concord with peace talks, and then Syria demanded that those talks stop,''

''Regarding ties among parties, when the will is there and situations are favorable, we are ready to exert efforts for peace in the region,'' he added.

For his part, Foreign Minister al-Moallem stressed Syria's commitment to and trust in the Turkish role as an objective broker to achieve peace in the region.

On the Kurdish issue, al-Moallem said, "We in Syria consider the Kurdistan Workers' Party a terrorist organization banned in Syria and it is treated as such according to the Syrian law, and we support what we have heard during President al-Assad's visit to Istanbul a month ago on a Turkish strategy to address the matter,'' he added.

''Syria supports this strategy and hopes to get more details to consider how it can support this strategy, since Turkey's security and stability are part of Syria's security and stability,'' al-Moallem said.

On whether there is an intention to hold Syrian-Iraqi-Turkish meetings and the Turkish efforts to solve the fabricated crisis between Damascus and Baghdad, Davutoglu said,'' this week is the week of complementarity around the Land of the Two Rivers..Today's meeting in Syria will be followed tomorrow by a Turkish-Iraqi one, where Prime Minister Erdogan is to visit Iraq at the head of a ministerial delegation."

He added that those countries that share the same geography and destiny can forge an economic coalition and revive civilization in the Land of the Two Rivers."

"On the crisis between Syria and Iraq, we hope this crisis would be solved through diplomatic means, dialogue and discussion so as to be resolved between two brotherly and friendly countries, and that's the reason of my visit to Baghdad and Damascus,'' he added.

Regarding Syria's comment on Ankara's decision to cancel the Israeli participation in the maneuvers of "Anadolu eagle", al-Moallem welcomed this Turkish step based on Turkey's attitude of the Israeli aggression on Gaza, saying "Syria, as a neighboring state of Turkey, is worried about such maneuvers in regards to security, and Turkey's cancellation is naturally satisfactory to Syria because Israel has proven that it still launches aggressions on the Palestinian people and al-Aqsa mosque, still imposes siege on Gaza and rejects any effort towards resumption of peace talks."

On removing mines along the Syrian borders by the Turkish side and cooperation between Syria and Turkey in irrigation and drought, Davotoglu said "the Grand National Assembly of Turkey approved the decision of removing mines and the areas that were planted with mines will be invested in agriculture... from now on, there will be no mines, barbed wires or border points.... As for drought, we will consolidate cooperation with Syria in this domain."

Regarding Syria's stance on the Turkish-Armenian agreement, al-Moallem said "Syria has issued a statement welcoming agreement between Turkey and Armenia... Syria has a genuine interest in the land connection with Armenia, particularly after the historical visit of President al-Assad to Yerevan."

As for the impact of canceling visas between Syria and Turkey on Turkey's demand to join the EU, Davotoglu said "We make a step with future visions... from now on and till we become a member in the EU, we maintain relations with neighboring countries and these relations will gain achievements for all."

On the military cooperation between Syria and Turkey, Davotoglu said "the two countries advance well, and there are good contacts between military officials in both states."

Regarding Turkey's relations with its neighbors and Syria's role in making more rapprochement between Turkey and Iran, the Turkish Foreign Minister said "we in Turkey are keen to maintain good relations with the neighboring countries... and this is not restricted to Iraq, Syria and Iran, but to Azerbaijan, Georgia, Bulgaria, Greece and now with Armenia."

Minister al-Moallem went on to say "brothers in Turkey and Iran are in no need for a Syrian role between them... they maintain good and satisfactory relations... and relations between Syria and Iran are distinguished in different political and economic fields... and we welcome boosting the Turkish- Iranian relations."

Syria and Turkey officially sign agreement of mutual entry visa exemption
Syria and Turkey officially signed on Tuesday the agreement of mutual entry visa exemption between the two countries.

The agreement was signed between the two sides during President Bashar al-Assad's recent visit to Turkey with the aim of boosting bilateral relations in the interest of the two friendly peoples.

The agreement was signed at the Syrian-Turkish borders by the foreign ministers of the two countries Mr. Walid al-Moallem and Mr. Ahmet Davutoglo.

It stipulates for dropping entry visas for people who have passports of one of the two countries and who want to visit the other country for no more than 90 days.

Earlier, interior ministries of the two countries started applying the decision of ending visa requirements on September 18.

Syrian and Turkish border cities governors discuss means of developing joint cooperation, businessmen meet their Turkish counterparts
Governors of Syrian and Turkish border cities discussed means of developing joint cooperation in economic, social and cultural fields.

On the sidelines of the first ministerial meeting of the Turkish-Syrian Strategic Cooperation Council, governor of border cities reviewed the accomplished phases of the Turkish-Syrian regional cooperation program and the projects under construction concerning the rehabilitation of border centers and establishing a center for disaster, firefighting and rescue management.

On a different note, economic bodies held with their Turkish counterparts a meeting at Dedeman Aleppo Hotel in which businessmen discussed means of cooperation in economic and trade fields, particularly the banking sector and establishing joint industrial and tourist projects in the border regions.

By Haifa Said /Ghossun /Fadi Allafi /Ruaa AL-Jazaeri/ Kazhali / Manal Ismael/Kh. Aridi/ Mazen

© SANA (Syria Arab News Agency) 2009

 

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