Top diplomats meet in Cairo to talk crisis

CAIRO

A Syrian teacher gestures while delivering a lesson in the town of Azaz, Aleppo. AFP photo

The foreign ministers of the Syria “contact group” were set to hold their first high-level meeting yesterday in Cairo, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said.

“Egypt, Turkey and Iran will meet at the foreign ministry to discuss the political and humanitarian aspects of developments in Syria,” the ministry said in a statement. The “contact group” on Syria is an initiative devised by Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi in order to try to find a solution to the ongoing crisis.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu arrived in Cairo yesterday afternoon and was greeted by the Turkish ambassador in Cairo, Hüseyin Avni Botsalı, as well as Egyptian officials. He met with President Morsi and Prime Minister Hisham Qandil before proceeding to a meeting with the foreign ministers. The gathering of the “contact group” on Syria follows preparatory talks a week ago in the Egyptian capital held by lower-ranking officials from the four countries’ foreign ministries.

The U.N. peace envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi, who had paid a four-day visit to Damascus, during which he met President Bashar al-Assad and opposition members, was also set to join the meeting, an Arab diplomat said.

Before leaving Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi told ISNA that Tehran would be setting out its “clear” position on its ally Syria. “We are very hopeful given that four important countries in the region are gathered to discuss one of the sensitive issues of the region,” he was quoted as saying.

Compiled from AFP and AA stories by the Daily News staff.