Clinton speaks of Iran and Syria from Istanbul

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held a breakfast meeting with her Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu on Thursday, with the situation in Syria high on the agenda.                

Clinton arrived in Istanbul on Wednesday (June 6), when she joined ministers and envoys from Europe, Turkey and Arab states for a conference on Syria.                
Delegates agreed at the meeting to convene a "coordination group" to provide support to the Syrian opposition but left unclear what this may entail.                

They also discussed "additional steps" including coordination on an "effective and credible transition process" to lead to a "democratic, post-Assad Syria," a Turkish statement said. It added that the group would be represented at a meeting of Syrian rebels in Istanbul next week.                

Clinton added that Assad must transfer power and leave Syria, noting that she is willing to work with Russia on Syria transition conference as long as it starts with premise that Assad government must yield to democracy.

On Annan's plan, Clinton said that the latter should be given the "last amount of support". 

Commenting of Iran, Clinton said major powers want Iran to come to nuclear talks ready to take steps to curb its enrichment of uranium to 20 percent purity, a level that brings it closer to developing bomb grade material.
   
"We want them to come prepared to take concrete steps, particularly in the area of 20 enrichment," Clinton told reporters, referring to a meeting on Iran's nuclear programme to be held on June 18-19 in Moscow.

REUTERS