Turkey, Russia, EU, UN to meet on Syria

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Ambassadors Önhon (L) and Botsalı (C) discuss Syria with Nabil al-Arabi in Cairo. AA photo

Turkey’s ambassadors to Cairo and Damascus visited Arab League Secretary Nabil al-Arabi in Cairo and discussed the latest developments in Syria ahead of an Arab League summit on Syria which aims to bring together more Syrian opposition groups under the framework of a Syrian opposition national pact.

Hüseyin Avni Botsalı, Turkey’s ambassador to Egypt, and Ömer Önhon, Turkey’s ambassador to Syria, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia’s ambassador to Egypt are expected to attend the meeting, which will also focus on the implementation of Annan’s peace plan and the ongoing violence taking place across the country, according to Anatolia news agency.

The upcoming Arab League gathering aims to bring together more Syrian opposition groups under the framework of a Syrian opposition national pact, which was agreed on by Syrian dissents in a meeting in Istanbul, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said.

Arab League General Secretary Nabil al-Arabi telephoned Davutoğlu and informed him about the upcoming meeting in Cairo regarding the Syrian opposition, the minister told reporters yesterday. When asked about a dialogue between Syrian administration and Syrian opposition during the Cairo meeting, Davutoğlu said there was no such information. “For such a process, first of all the Annan Plan must fully be implemented,” the minister added.

There were still some uncertainties about the meeting, but preparations were ongoing, Davutoğlu said, adding that Turkey was involved in the process and was in discussions with Syrian opposition. A Turkish official would also participate to the meeting, he said.