ERDOGAN REFUSES PEACE TALKS WITH ASSAD

TUNIS : Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday called Syrian President Bashar al-Assad a terrorist and said it was impossible for Syrian peace efforts to continue with him.

Syria's  Foreign Ministry responded by accusing Erdogan of supporting terrorist groups fighting Assad's government.

Turkey has demanded the removal of Assad from power and backed rebels fighting to overthrow him, but it has toned down its demands since it started working with Assad's allies, Russia and Iran, for a political resolution.

''Assad is definitely a terrorist who has carried out state terrorism,'' Erdogan told a televised news conference with his Tunisian counterpart Beji Caid Essebsi here.

''It is impossible to continue with Assad. How can we embrace the future with a Syrian President who has killed close a million of his citizens?'' he said. In some of his harshest comments for weeks.