Turkish FM says Syria and Iraq must jointly struggle against terrorism

Turkey urges Syria, Iraq to fight terrorism

ANKARA, Turkey — Syria and Iraq should unite against terrorism, Turkey’s foreign minister said Thursday amid efforts to defuse tensions over Iraqi allegations that Syria has been used as a launching pad for violence in Baghdad.

Ahmet Davutoglu’s remarks came after the foreign ministers of Syria and Iraq met in Istanbul for talks.It was not clear whether any tangible results have been reached during the meeting between Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem and his Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari.

Davutoglu and Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa also attended the meeting.

“We are very happy to see that both ministers are committed to this common security and solidarity against terror,” Davutoglu said.

Davutoglu said Turkey and the Arab League urged Syria and Iraq to refrain from inflammatory remarks to the media and take “concrete steps” in the fields of security and diplomacy.

“This process should continue, all the efforts should be spent to find out the reasons and prevent future terrorist attacks,” Davutoglu said.

Iraq is demanding Syria hand over two members of Saddam Hussein’s now-outlawed Baath Party who are blamed by Iraq for the Aug. 19 truck bombings that killed more than 100 people in Baghdad.

Syria rejected Iraq’s request, saying it had failed to provide evidence implicating the two suspects.