Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday received Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Aleppo, northern Syria, SANA news agency reported.
After the meeting, the following statement was issued: Bilateral relations between the two friendly countries were discussed as President al-Assad and Erdogan expressed deep satisfaction over the solid cooperation the relations are witnessing in all fields. The latest result of this cooperation was laying the cornerstone of the Friendship Dam to provide water to irrigate about 10,000 hectares and generating electricity for border areas.
President al-Assad and Erdogan stressed the importance of continuing work and coordination by the two countries through high-level transparent dialogue on various issues facing the region to find a secure environment to realize stability and enhance economic cooperation in the interest of the Syrian and Turkish peoples and peoples of the region.
The two sides also discussed the latest developments in the regional and international arenas, particularly the situation in Egypt as the two sides hoped that security and stability will return to Egypt and rallying efforts as to spare the Egyptian people the more of suffering in realization of its demands, ambitions and willingness.
President al-Assad and Erdogan discussed the situation in Lebanon and agreed to exert all efforts possible for the stability, security and prosperity of Lebanon.
Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Naji Otri, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem and Presidential Political and Media Advisor Bouthaina Shaaban attended the meeting on the Syrian side and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglo and the Turkish ambassador in Syria attended the meeting on the Turkish side.
Last January, President al-Assad and Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, discussed in Damascus the latest developments in the region.
President al-Assad and Erdogan last October held talks on boosting bilateral relations between the two countries, stressing that these relations have changed into a strategic partnership whose benefits are not restricted on both countries, but they include other countries.