Davutoğlu visits France to renew long strained ties

Davutoğlu’s office said in a statement on Wednesday that he is visiting Paris at the invitation of his French counterpart, Laurent Fabius. The statement said the visit is also planned to reciprocate former French foreign ministers Bernard Kouchner and Alain Juppe's trips to Turkey in October 2010 and November 2011 respectively.

Davutoğlu’s visit is aimed at what the statement said to discuss bilateral relations with all its dimensions to make new understanding prevail in Turkish-French relations long strained after the French Assembly endorsed a controversial bill on so-called Armenian genocide denial.

The bill was overturned by the French Constitutional Council for violating the French Constitution.

The statement said Davutoğlu is also expected to exchange views on regional and international affairs with his counterpart.

Turkish foreign minister is also scheduled to attend the "Friends of Syria" meeting in Paris on Friday. Paris will host about 100 delegations and organizations in Paris on Friday, including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Davutoğlu, the latest effort to ramp up pressure on Damascus.