Iran Joins Effort to Avert War Between Syria and Turkey
ANKARA, Turkey — Iran joined Middle Eastern efforts to mediate a dispute between Turkey and Syria over Kurdish rebels, expressing hope Friday that war between the neighbors could be averted.
Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi flew from the Syrian capital, Damascus, to Ankara for talks with Turkish President Suleyman Demirel and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem.
He had met with Syrian President Hafez Assad on Thursday, after Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s shuttle diplomacy earlier this week.
“If everything goes right, there may soon be a peaceful settlement of the situation,” Kharrazi said.
Turkish leaders accuse Syria of sheltering the rebels, enabling them to carry out cross-border raids. The rebels are seeking autonomy within Turkey, a war that has claimed 30,000 lives since 1984.
Syria denies the accusation, but Turkey’s warlike rhetoric has raised fears of a regional conflict.
Meanwhile, the 22-member Arab group at the United Nations confirmed its solidarity with Damascus, according to a statement issued Friday.
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