Turkey: Lebanon war could lead to peace
Following meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul says 'after this catastrophe there is an opportunity to achieve peace'; adds Assad shares his view
"After this catastrophe there is an opportunity to achieve peace. Every one must learn a lesson from the recent events," Gul said after meeting Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Gul added that Assad shared his view.
The Syrian leader said last week that Israel must return all Arab land it has been occupying since 1967 or face more hatred from the Arab populations surrounding it.
NATO member Turkey, which hopes to play a larger role in the region, has good ties with both Israel and with Syria, which is a key supporter of Lebanon's Hizbullah movement.
Last month, a Turkish envoy held talks in Damascus with members of the exiled leadership of the Palestinian movement Hamas and Ankara is also mulling whether to send troops as part of an expanded UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon.
"Turkey has not made a final decision regarding troops, but the Syrian side welcomes such a decision if we take it," said Gul, who has also visited Israel and Lebanon in recent days.
Turkey says it will not send any combat troops or take part in any operations to disarm Hizbullah, which fought Israeli forces for over a month before a truce took effect on Aug 14.
Israel invaded south Lebanon after Hizbullah fighters captured two Israeli soldiers and killed several others in a cross border operation on July 12.
