Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad told Turkish President Abdullah Gul on May 16, during his visit to Syria, that the two countries had strategic, regional, and international importance, and that excellent brotherly relations prevailed between them.
Assad expressed hope that tighter ties among Syria, Turkey, Iraq, and Iran would lead to a quadripartite economic alliance with significance for the region and beyond it.
During the visit, Syria and Turkey signed water, transportation, and economic agreements.
Source: Al-Thawra, Syria, May 17, 2009
