Turkey will not close doors to Syrian refugees

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.

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey will not fall for a “dirty scenario” and be dragged into the conflict with Syria. Erdogan was speaking Sunday, a day after two car bombings in a town near the Syrian border killed 46 people and raised fears that Turkey may be drawn into the conflict. Erdogan says “we have to maintain our extreme cool-bloodedness in the face of efforts and provocations to drag us into the bloody quagmire in Syria.”

Syrians fearful of reprisals poured out of a northern town at the centre of anti-government protests on Wednesday as pressure on President Bashar al-Assad grew at the UN Security Council.Some of those fleeing the town of Jisr al-Shughur sought sanctuary in neighbouring Turkey after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country would not turn away Syrian refugees.About 60 Syrians, three of them wounded, crossed into Turkey on Wednesday, bringing to some 450 the number of people taking refuge in the country, an AFP reporter witnessed.

President Bashar al-Assad's chances of staying in power are "shrinking by the day," Dmitri Medvedev said on Sunday in Russia's sternest criticism of the Syrian regime to date.

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."