CAIRO: Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Wednesday he felt positive about his visits to Syria and Iraq aimed at defusing tensions between the neighbors after Iraqi claims that Damascus was sheltering insurgents.
I felt a very positive approach in both Iraq and Syria, Davutoglu told reporters in Cairo after talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
I examined the situation in both countries and tried to relay the information to the other, he said.
Turkey will continue to exert all its efforts to contain the situation and build trust (between Baghdad and Damascus) to help end the tensions, he said.
Relations between Iraq and Syria deteriorated after Baghdad alleged that Damascus was harboring leaders behind one of two devastating truck bombings that killed 95 people and wounded about 600 in the Iraqi capital on August 19.
Last week, Iraq recalled its ambassador in Damascus and Syria retaliated within hours by withdrawing its envoy from Baghdad.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit told reporters that Egypt welcomed Turkey s efforts in the Middle East.
Aboul Gheit and Davutoglu are to meet later Wednesday to discuss the Mediterranean Union, which brings together EU members with states from north Africa, the Balkans, the Arab world and Israel in a bid to foster cooperation in one of the world s most volatile regions.
Aboul Gheit said Turkey is expected to host a ministerial meeting of the Mediterranean Union in November. -AFP
