Global General

Syrian president's envoy to meet Turkish PM

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-06-15 20:38

ANKARA - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's special envoy Hasan Turkmani arrived in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Wednesday to meet Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.

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Syrian delegation led by Turkmani includes Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Abdulfettah Ammura, according to the report.

At his arrival in Ankara, Turkmani told reporters that he would discuss relations between Turkey and Syria, and congratulate Erdogan on his election victory.

Turkmani also said that Syrian people who fled to Turkey to escape violence in their country were "guests" in Turkey.

Erdogan has repeatedly called on Assad government to stop violence and set up a timetable for reforms in Syria.

In the past couple of weeks, about 8,500 Syrian nationals crossed into Turkey to shelter in tent-camps in southern Turkey close to Syrian frontier after violence between government forces and anti-Assad protesters.