Turkish Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim said on Wednesday that Turkey would dispatch troops to Lebanon to help the country's recovery process, semi- official Anatolia news agency reported.

Turkish troops will be in Lebanon to help in the re- construction and recovery of the country and the peacekeeping force will not get involved in clashes with Hezbollah, Yildirim was quoted as saying in eastern province of Erzincan.

"We are culturally very close to the people there," he added.

Before heading for Damascus for a visit to neighboring Syria on Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that his government will make a decision on dispatching troops to Lebanon after listening to the relevant sides.

While in Syria later in the day, Gul said that Syria would welcome Turkey's participation in a UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon if Ankara decided to contribute troops.

Since the 34-day-long Israel-Hezbollah conflict ended on Aug. 14 under a UN Security Council resolution, Turkey has indicated it might contribute troops to an expanded UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon.

Source: Xinhua