ISTANBUL, Turkey, Dec 6, SPA -- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan departed for Syria Wednesday for a second round of talks with Middle East leaders. Erdogan's trip comes just days after a visit to Iran, inwhat appeared to be the Turks' latest drive to shouldergreater responsibility for regional stability. The prime minister said his talks in Damascus would focus on many of the same issues he spoke about over the weekend in Tehran, including rising tensions in Lebanon, the insurgency in Iraq and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Erdogan's spokesman said he would meet with Syrian President Bashar Assad and Prime Minister Mohammad Naji Otari before returning to Turkey later in the day, the Associated Press reported.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/409122