Recep Tayyip Erdogan hails success of Ankara message to Syria

Syria's withdrawal of tanks from the central city of Hama showed that Turkey's diplomatic efforts were effective, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday.

The prime minister was speaking to members of his Justice and Development Party in their headquarters a day after Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu spent more than six hours talking to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, DPA reported.

Turkey sought to persuade the Syrians to withdraw their armed forces from the streets, where they have been confronting pro-democracy protesters, and to put an end to the bloodshed, which has claimed an estimated 1,600 lives since the uprising began in mid-March.

After two months of anti-government demonstrations in Hama, Syrian troops, tanks and armoured personnel carriers rolled into the city last week.

Pro-democracy activists say at least 250 people were killed as the military tried to impose its authority on the city.

Death tolls cannot be independently verified as the Syrian government does not allow free access to journalists and human rights groups.

Erdogan said Turkey's ambassador to Syria, Omer Onhon, had visited Hama on Wednesday and reported that heavy armour was leaving the city. Recep Tayyip Erdogan hails success of Ankara message to Syria.


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