Syrian, Turkish officials meet on bilateral issues in Ankara
Syria-Turkey, Politics, 7/1/1998

A Monte Carlo radio correspondent in Ankara said that Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Adnan Omran and secretary of the Turkish Foreign Ministry Turkman Hassan discussed during today's three-hour meeting in Ankara several issues suspended between the two countries pertaining to waters and the separatist Kurdish Labor Party.

The correspondent added that Turkey refuses to sign a long-term agreement with Syria to partition the waters of the Euphrates, and just confined itself to a pledge to permit a flow of 500 million cubic meters of waters to Syria.

The correspondent elaborated that the Turks see in the issue of waters an important card for bargaining with Damascus, when necessary. He added that Ankara has been convinced at last that its disputes with Damascus have constituted a barrier toward the development of political and economic relations between Turkey and the Arab and Islamic states alike, a matter which dragged it to reactivate once again its dialogue with Damascus.

The correspondent quoted spokesman for the Turkish Foreign Ministry as saying that Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem will visit Damascus by the end of the current month, and the visit is to be determined in light of the results of Omran's talks in the Turkish capital, especially his meeting tomorrow with Cem.

He described Omran's meetings with Turkish officials as coming in the course of efforts to end disputes between Syria and Turkey.

Previous Stories:
  Syria, Turkey proceed for normal relations   (7/1/1998)
  Syrian delegation travels to Ankara   (6/30/1998)
  High-ranking Syrian official to visit Ankara   (6/9/1998)

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