Kerry in Turkey for talks on Syria

ANKARA: US Secretary of State John Kerry was due to discuss the Syria crisis with Turkey's leaders on Friday in talks likely to be strained by controversial comments by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan branding Zionism a "crime against humanity."

The talks come a day after Washington announced that it would for the first time provide direct aid to Syrian rebels in the form of food and medical supplies as well as $60 million in extra assistance to the political opposition.

The two-year civil war in neighbouring Syria which has killed at least 70,000 people according to the UN will top the agenda for Kerry, who is due to meet with President Abdullah Gul, Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

But the talks are likely to be overshadowed by renewed tension between Turkey and Israel, two major Washington allies, following comments Erdogan made earlier this week at a UN-sponsored forum in Vienna.

"As is the case for Zionism, anti-Semitism and fascism, it is inevitable that Islamophobia be considered a crime against humanity," Erdogan said.

His comments were branded as "a dark and mendacious statement," by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while Washington said "characterisation of Zionism as a crime against humanity... is offensive and wrong."

A US official travelling with Kerry on his first trip abroad since taking over as secretary of state from Hillary Clinton said he would raise the issue with his hosts.

"We put out a statement from Washington making clear that the statement was both offensive and wrong and I am sure the secretary will be able to convey that to the prime minister directly this afternoon," said the official who requested anonymity.

Turkey, once a close ally of Syria, has joined the US in its campaign to oust the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and has given shelter to Syrian rebels and to nearly 200,000 refugees along its volatile border. (AFP)