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TURKISH FM NOT RULE OUT RF PARTICIPATION IN FRIENDS OF SYRIA GROUP MEETING
ITAR-TASS
March 15, 2012 Thursday 04:47 PM GMT+4
Russia
Turkey's Foreign Ministry did not rule out a possibility of Russia's
participation in a meeting of the Friends of Syria Group in Istanbul,
spokesman Selcuk Unal said.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Unal said, "In compliance
with the upcoming meeting due to take place in Tunisia Russia and China
have been sent invitations. Due to format of the Istanbul meeting,
we hope that representatives of these countries could arrive."
He said the Istanbul meeting would have the Tunisian format and the
foreign ministers were expected to take part in it.
"During the meeting, the parties will take joint steps towards
the Syrian settlement. All countries, which seek to facilitate
the settlement of the crisis in Syria, are invited to take part in
the meeting," the spokesman noted. He declined to specify Turkey's
concrete expectations on the results of the Istanbul meeting. "Its
work is designed to step up discussions on the situation in Syria.
Turkey hopes to achieve progress in carrying out the existing tasks
by international organisations," the diplomat added.
The diplomat did not rule out that France would take part in the
Friends of Syria Group meeting. However, the participation of French
representatives can be hampered due to frosting in bilateral relations
because of Paris' initiatives related to "genocide of Armenians".
Unal described the situation in Syria as "serious". In his words,
the number of refugees is of 14,700 people. He also pointed to
the importance of international efforts aimed at ceasing violence
in Syria. The diplomat recalled that Turkey came against foreign
military interference.
ITAR-TASS
March 15, 2012 Thursday 04:47 PM GMT+4
Russia
Turkey's Foreign Ministry did not rule out a possibility of Russia's
participation in a meeting of the Friends of Syria Group in Istanbul,
spokesman Selcuk Unal said.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Unal said, "In compliance
with the upcoming meeting due to take place in Tunisia Russia and China
have been sent invitations. Due to format of the Istanbul meeting,
we hope that representatives of these countries could arrive."
He said the Istanbul meeting would have the Tunisian format and the
foreign ministers were expected to take part in it.
"During the meeting, the parties will take joint steps towards
the Syrian settlement. All countries, which seek to facilitate
the settlement of the crisis in Syria, are invited to take part in
the meeting," the spokesman noted. He declined to specify Turkey's
concrete expectations on the results of the Istanbul meeting. "Its
work is designed to step up discussions on the situation in Syria.
Turkey hopes to achieve progress in carrying out the existing tasks
by international organisations," the diplomat added.
The diplomat did not rule out that France would take part in the
Friends of Syria Group meeting. However, the participation of French
representatives can be hampered due to frosting in bilateral relations
because of Paris' initiatives related to "genocide of Armenians".
Unal described the situation in Syria as "serious". In his words,
the number of refugees is of 14,700 people. He also pointed to
the importance of international efforts aimed at ceasing violence
in Syria. The diplomat recalled that Turkey came against foreign
military interference.