Ankara, August 06 (QNA) - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations and expand cooperation across various fields with his Syrian counterpart Asaad Al Shaibani, who is currently visiting Ankara.

During the meeting, the two ministers also stressed the need to halt Israeli attacks on Syria and to respect the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart, Fidan said Israeli attacks targeting Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity constitute one of the greatest threats to the country's stability.

He added that the Israeli occupation's continued attacks despite the understanding reached on the Gaza agreement demonstrate once again that the Israeli government does not seek peace.

Fidan added that Turkiye was committed to supporting Syria and cooperating with it in various fields, particularly in the economic and security sectors, to ensure Syria's security and stability as well as that of the region. He noted that Ankara was working to deepen relations with Damascus and increase bilateral trade.

For his part, Al Shaibani said Damascus and Ankara have placed shared economic and political issues at the top of their priorities, noting that the two sides discussed reactivating bilateral economic and trade agreements.

He said the recent step taken by the Syrian and Turkish central banks has laid the foundation for a new phase of cooperation, adding that stability and success in combating terrorism form the cornerstone of the partnership between the two countries.

Al Shaibani also said Syria was working to extend state authority across its entire territory and end the presence of any weapons outside the legal framework, adding that a unified Syria free of terrorism and militias is essential to protecting the two countries' shared border. (QNA)