Aleppo University president honorary doctorate to Erdogan

During his one-day visit to Aleppo, Syria yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was presented with an honorary doctorate by Aleppo University. Speaking at the ceremony, Erdogan said Syria plays a key role for peace and stability in the Middle East, adding that Turkey places great importance on Syria's views of the region. He added that through the centuries Turkey and Syria have stood side by side and jointly built civilizations, weaved the fabric of a common culture, and become kin. "So I say that (Turkey's) Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Mardin, (and Syria's) Damascus, Aleppo and Latakia are cities of the same culture and the same climate of brotherhood," he said. "We have made great efforts to build this climate with my dear brother Al-Assad. In the past our countries had drifted apart. But over the last seven years, we have put aside our artificial differences and focused on our shared similarities. Together we have built a friendship that will set an example for the world." He said trade between the two countries now stands at $2 billion and that they want to raise it to $5 billion. Erdogan called the Middle East a very sensitive region, saying that Turkey constantly tries to work positively in the region. "As you know, we have initiated a process between Israel and Syria. Unfortunately, this process was interrupted after the incidents in Gaza," he added. "We want Syria's rights to be given back. There is a similar situation in Palestine. Bombing and attacks in Gaza left nearly 1,500 people dead, including women and children, and many others injured. Where were the human rights groups when this was happening? Did they do anything besides stand and look?" Erdogan urged Arab and Muslim countries and the international community to live up their promises for the reconstruction of war-torn Gaza. Erdogan also called an end to Israel's blockade of Gaza, stating that Gazans still face a major humanitarian disaster.