Azerbaijan, Baku, September 1 / Trend U. Sadikhova /
Turkey's participation in solving the diplomatic scandal between Syria and Iraq can be successful because it meets Ankara's security interests.
"On the one hand, Turkey wants to become a major ally of Syria, on the other hand, stability in Iraq is very important for it due to proximity of borders. So, Turkey will make all efforts to achieve success in this mediation (Syrian-Iraqi disputes), Syrian political analyst, Akram Khuzam, told Trend over phone from Damascus.
Leaving Baghdad Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu arrived in Syria.
During a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Monday, Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, spoke about Ankara's optimism in rapid reduction of tension between Syria and Iraq, Al Jazeera's website said.
But Davutoglu said that Turkey is not a mediator between Syria and Iraq, but only wants to eliminate tension in the region, the Turkish Cihan agency said.
Relations between two Arabic countries deteriorated after Iraqi accusations towards Syrian leadership of violation of stability in Iraq. Baghdad called for Syria to extradite two organizers of a powerful explosion in late August. As a result, 100 people died and 600 injured.
The differences were so aggravated that both countries have withdrawn diplomatic agents.
Syrian President al-Assad called Baghdad's charges as "immoral," adding that Syria is interested in stability and security in Iraq, the Italian news agency AKI said.
Al-Assad also called for Iraq to give evidence concerning Syrian involvement in the terrorist attacks. But there is no response from Baghdad yet.
"When Syria is accused of killing Iraqis, while 1.2 million Iraqis (refugees) live there, there is the only thing to say about these accusations. They are immoral," al-Assad said.
Deputy-Speaker of the Iraqi parliament, Baha al-Iraj, said that the Turkish intervention in solving Syrian-Iraqi disputes is timely, since it is inconceivable for the problem to intensify.
"Syria is an important neighboring country for Iraq. We must solve differences rapidly given that the interests of all will be saved," al-Iraj told Trend over phone from Baghdad.
The representative of the Iraqi parliament said that Turkey's role in reconciliation of the parties will be positive and useful, given Ankara's close ties with Iraq and Syria, and joint cooperation on security in the region.
"Both sides (Iraq and Syria) consider Turkey as a strong partner, for example, in economic co-operation and solving water problems", al-Iraj said.
He said that violence against the Iraqi people must be punished. But the problem does not concern Damascus but Iraqi citizens who are in Syria.
The Iraqi leadership said that two organizers of terror attacks in Baghdad on August 20, hiding in Syria, have ties with the terrorist organization al-Qaida and members of the Baath party, ruling in Iraq during the regime of ex-president Saddam Hussein.
Syria and Iraq welcomed Turkey's participation in solving bilateral disputes. During a meeting with Davutoglu, Al-Assad said about Syria's willingness to accept any Turkish proposal to improve relations with Baghdad, adding that stability in Iraq is part of the stability in Syria, Al Jazeera's website said.
Syrian political analyst Akram Khuzam said that at present, Turkey is very concerned about instability in Iraq, with which it has common borders, as well as unsolved problem of terrorists of Kurdistan Workers' Party, who are based in northern Iraq near Turkish borders.
Turkish analyst on the Middle East Husnu Mahalli agrees with him. He said that the cause of tension between Syria and Iraq was a breach of security. Turkey also suffers from it.
"Ankara is concerned about (Syrian-Iraqi tension) because members of Kurdistan Workers' Party are based in Iraq, which threatens Turkish security," Mahalli said over phone from Istanbul.
Given that Turkey urged Syria and Iraq to cooperate in the fight against terrorists at the borders, the Turkish mediation is the only thing that can put an end to the Syrian-Iraqi tension, Mahalli said.
Terrorists of Kurdistan Workers' Party are fighting for an independent state of Kurdistan in the east of Turkey. The Iraqi government and the Kurdish administration of Iraq agreed to cooperate with Turkey in the fight against terrorists.
Mahalli said that Ankara's policy in the Middle East comes primarily from the interests of safety.
Last year, Turkey was the only mediator in indirect talks between Israel and Syria, which were ceased in winter after the Israeli military actions in Gaza.
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