Ankara - After weeks of tension and military threats, Syria has bowed to Turkish pressure and pledged to halt its support for the rebel Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Under the terms of an accord signed late on Tuesday by Turkey and Syria and published by the foreign ministry in Ankara yesterday, Damascus will no longer allow PKK rebels or the rebel leader, Abdullah Ocalan, to operate on its soil.
Under the deal, Ankara will send two officials to Damascus to monitor Syrian compliance, while two Syrian officials are to come to Ankara. In addition, a hotline will be set up between security officials in both countries.