Turkish and British officials to discuss post-Assad Syria in Ankara talks

Turkish and British officials will discuss Syria's future during a meeting in Ankara on Monday, with security, sanctions and economic development on the agenda, a Turkish foreign ministry source said on Sunday.

NATO-member Turkey was a main backer of rebels who fought Bashar al-Assad for years and it has forged close ties with the new administration in Damascus following Assad's ouster last year. It has promised to help rebuild Syria and offered assistance to train and equip its security forces.

Britain said last month it would adapt its Syria sanctions regimes after Assad's fall, but will ensure asset freezes and travel bans imposed on members of the former government remain in place.

The Turkish source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Monday's talks would be led by Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz and British junior Foreign Office Minister Hamish Falconer.

Yilmaz will emphasise the need for sanctions on Syria to be lifted unconditionally for rebuilding and economic development, the source said.

Yilmaz will also stress "the importance of the international community backing the Syrian administration's steps towards achieving national reconciliation within a central government", and push "to stop Israel's actions openly violating and threatening Syria's sovereignty", the source added.

Reuters reported on Friday that Israel is lobbying the United States to keep Syria weak and decentralised, including by letting Russia keep its military bases there to counter Turkey's growing influence in Syria, according to sources familiar with the efforts.

Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said on Sunday Turkey had completed an initial phase of repairs and maintenance, including installing new equipment, at Damascus airport as part of Ankara's efforts to help rebuild the transport hub.