Salehi and Oglu discuss Syrian developments

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi discussed latest regional developments, including Syria and Afghanistan issues with his Turkish counterpart, Ahmad Davood-Oglu here Wednesday. The Iranian and Turkish foreign ministers met on the sideline of Istanbul Summit on Afghanistan.  Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against Syrian police forces and border guards being reported across the country.  Hundreds of people, including members of the security forces, have been killed, when some protest rallies turned into armed clashes.  The government blames outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups for the deaths, stressing that the unrest is being orchestrated from abroad.  Confessions made by those arrested vindicate Damascus claims. “Istanbul Summit on Afghanistan can help the establishment of peace and stability in the region by the use of regional countries’ capacities, Iranian foreign minister said.  Oglu for his part thanked Iran’s positive role in the regional developments as well as its participation in Istanbul summit on Afghanistan.  Turkish’s FM briefed Iran’s FM in a report and called for a regional resolution to solve Afghanistan's problems.  Representatives from 20 countries joined aid agency members at the Istanbul talks almost 10 years after the Taliban were driven out of power in Kabul.  The summit aimed to chart the way ahead for Afghanistan, with the US-led NATO mission already locked into troop drawdown that are scheduled to bring all foreign combat troops home by 2014.  The gathering takes place a day after a trilateral summit hosted by Turkey President Abdullah Gul brought together the presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan in a bid to ease tensions and promote cooperation between the two neighbors.  Tuesday's talks saw Afghanistan and Pakistan agree to cooperate with an investigation into the murder of former Afghan leader and peace negotiator Burhanuddin Rabbani.  Kabul had accused Islamabad of refusing to cooperate in the probe into the murder, which Afghan authorities say was planned in Pakistan and committed by a Pakistani suicide bomber.  Pakistan has been accused by both Kabul and Washington of helping to destabilize its northern neighbor.