Turkey’s stance will seal the fate of Syria’s Ceausescu

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has warned that the fall of his regime would destabilise the region "for many years," as US President Barack Obama announced talks with Middle East allies over the crisis.

AMMAN, Jordan — More than 200 Syrian soldiers and opposition fighters died in the eight-day battle for a police academy near the embattled northern city of Aleppo, activists said Sunday as President Bashar Assad lashed out at the West for sending aid to those trying to oust him. The Britain-based anti-regime group The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the rebels seized control of the police academy in Khan al-Asal, west of Aleppo, after entering the sprawling government complex with tanks they captured from Assad’s troops in previous battles.

Turkey's prime minister has said it is premature to say whether Bashar al-Assad should quit, while renewing a call on the Syrian leader for speedy reform to end bloody turmoil in his country.Recep Tayyip Erdogan described Assad as a "good friend" and said Ankara had begun applying pressure for reform even before a wave of uprisings began in Arab countries, in an interview aired on the US television channel Bloomberg late Thursday.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad Tuesday to press for reform as a deadly crackdown against protesters raged in the Arab country, an aide said.Questioned by AFP, the aide would not give other details about the telephone conversation between the two leaders, who enjoy a close personal relationship.On Saturday, Ankara had voiced "deep concern" over a bloody crackdown by the authorities on thousands of protesters who demonstrated across neighbouring Syria calling for reform and the fall of Assad's regime.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday accused Israel for logjamming peace talks and called for renewed Turkish mediation between his country and Israel."Israel is the main cause for the deadlock in peace. The Israelis want negotiations devoid of principles, that is to say endless talks," he said at a joint press conference with visiting Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.He said Turkish mediation between Syria and Israel last year had been "honest, fair and objective," adding: "We now want this mediation more than ever."

The international envoy to Syria said after talks with the country’s leader Monday that the situation was “worrying” and gave no indication of progress toward a negotiated solution for the civil war. Lakhdar Brahimi’s mission came as activists reported intense fighting in the central province of Hama, where anti-government gunmen entered the predominantly Alawite town of Maan. Assad’s regime is dominated by members of his minority Alawite sect, an off-shoot of Shiite Islam, while most of the rebels are Sunni Muslims.

Turkey’s newly re-elected premier has a remarkable record but he has his work cut out if he is to allay his critics’ concerns

A suicide bomb ripped through a mosque in the heart of the Syrian capital Thursday, killing a top Sunni Muslim preacher and outspoken supporter of President Bashar Assad in one of the most stunning assassinations of Syria’s 2-year-old civil war. At least 41 others were killed and more than 84 wounded. The slaying of Sheikh Mohammad Said Ramadan al-Buti removes one of the few remaining pillars of support for Assad among the majority Sunni sect that has risen up against him.