PM urges Syrian president to avoid authoritarian path

Normal 0 21 false false false TR X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Erdogan has a friendly relationship with Assad and has urged him since the early days of the unrest to show restraint and make the reforms the Syrian people demand, or risk the fate suffered by other Arab leaders who have been toppled by uprisings this year. Erdogan phoned Assad to push for "restraint," while Turkey's ambassador to Damascus met Syrian PM Adel Safar to express Turkey's "deep concern and sorrow over the loss of many lives," the prime minister's office said.