Assad: Turkish-Syrian ties regional model

ISTANBUL, Turkey, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- Syrian President Bashar Assad met Turkish officials on the sidelines of an economic summit in Istanbul hailing bilateral ties as a model for regional affairs.

The Organization of the Islamic Conference kicked off a three-day economic summit in Istanbul during the weekend. The aim of the summit was to coordinate activities in the financial and agricultural sectors.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul opened the summit by calling on member states to act in the spirit of unity.

"Our countries face global challenges such as urbanization, immigration, industrialization, negative effects of particularly climate change, experienced globally and regionally and serious problems with socioeconomic and environmental dimensions," he said.

Assad met the Turkish president on the sidelines of the meeting to discuss bilateral ties. Both leaders described improved ties as a model for the region, saying it strengthens the Islamic world in the face of foreign intervention, the official Syrian Arab News Agency reports.

Syrian and Turkish officials agreed during October meetings in Damascus to form a long-term strategic partnership to enhance their relationship.

In April, Turkish and Syrian ground forces conducted joint military exercises along their shared border in what was described as the first-ever cooperation of its kind.

Both countries approached the brink of war in 1998 following Ankara's displeasure with Syrian support for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party.