The Turkish foreign minister met the Syrian president and Lebanese prime minister in Damascus on Monday.

Syria's President Bashar al-Asad received Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Damascus, where Davutoglu is paying a formal visit.

Al-Asad and Davutoglu discussed Turkish-Syrian relations as well as regional developments.

The Syrian president and Turkish foreign minister both expressed view that an international commission should be set up to investigate the Israeli attack on "Mavi Marmara" ship that was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Nine people, including eight Turkish and one U.S. citizen of Turkish descent, died when Israeli forces raided a Gaza-bound aid flotilla on May 31. Around 30 people were wounded in the attack.

Al-Asad and Davutoglu also said they should exert more efforts to lift the Israeli embargo on Gaza.

The Syrian president and Turkish minister underlined importance of a compromise among Palestinians groups for settlement of the Palestinian issue, and also said a government in Iraq should include all segments of the society.

Al-Asad and Davutoglu also took up Middle Eastern peace process.

Later, Davutoglu had a bilateral meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri. Then Davutoglu, al-Asad and al-Hariri had a trilateral meeting in which they discussed the quartet cooperation agreement signed among Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in Istanbul.

Al-Hariri and Davutoglu agreed to prioritize transportation and energy industries, whereas Davutoglu, al-Hariri and al-Asad expressed view that obstacles before cooperation of the four countries should be lifted and the mentioned countries should also cooperate in other countries.

Turkey had assumed an active role in normalization of Lebanese-Syrian relations.

Also, Davutoglu met former Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad al-Allawi at Turkey's Embassy in Damascus.

Al-Allawi briefed Davutoglu on efforts to form a government in Iraq.

Davutoglu is expected to meet Iraqi Shiite leader Moqtada al-Sadr later on Monday.


AA