Syrian President Assad heads to Turkey to discuss regional issues

Damascus: A Syrian foreign ministry official says President Bashar Assad is travelling to Turkey to discuss bilateral and regional issues.

Turkey has hosted four rounds of indirect peace talks between Syrian and Israeli delegations. Ankara has good ties with both countries and although no agreements have been struck, they have agreed to talk more.

The Syrian official provided no details on Assad's Tuesday visit and spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media. But his comment indicates Syria-Israeli negotiations will likely be on the agenda.

Turkey's state-run Anatolia news agency said on Monday that Assad and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan would meet at the Aegean resort of Bodrum.