Several ministers from Syria and Turkey took part on Tuesday in a first meeting of a strategic cooperation council as the two neighbours aim for closer ties.
The foreign, defence, interior, economy, oil, agriculture and health ministers of the two countries took part in the meeting in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo.
Turkish-Syrian relations have improved after decades of mistrust based on Ankara's accusations that Damascus gave support to Turkey's banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
But Syria and Turkey signed an agreement in Istanbul on September 16 to establish the cooperation council as part of efforts to forge closer economic links. Under the accord, the council is to meet once a year.
The agenda for Aleppo calls for a series of meetings to be held between respective ministers in their fields and the signing of diplomatic and economic agreements.
The two countries are also to sign a deal on scrapping visa requirements for each other's nationals. After their one-day meeting in Aleppo, the ministers are to continue talks in Turkey.
Source: AFP Global Edition
