Syria's Assad proposes visa-free travel zone with Turkey, Iran

Syrian President Bashar Assad on Sunday proposed a visa-free travel region for Syria , Iran , Turkey and other neighboring countries, similar to Europe 's Schengen Zone. "I was the first to bring this up. I started talking about (visa-free travel) between Turkey and Syria three years ago," Assad said in an interview with Turkish daily Hurriyet and German daily Bild. "When (Prime Minister Recep Tayyip) Erdogan said during my visit to Turkey last year that Ankara is ready (for a visa agreement), I was very surprised," he added.