Iraq and Syria discuss restoring diplomatic links
Iraqi and Syrian officials met today to discuss restoring full diplomatic relations and reopening their embassies after a 23-year break in full diplomatic relations, said a senior Iraqi Foreign Ministry official.
No date has been set for opening the embassies and appointing ambassadors, said Iraq deputy Foreign Minister Labeed Abou.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrhaim al-Jaafari has said he would soon be visiting Syria and neighbouring Iran.
The talks come at a time of heightened tension between the two neighbours following allegations Syria had failed to stem the flow of foreign fighters using its territory to infiltrate across the porous border into Iraq.
US and Iraqi forces have tried to staunch the infiltration by carrying out numerous counter-insurgency operations, including one that began yesterday in western Anbar province.
Syrian officials have said the team would also ask the Iraqi government to provide evidence that insurgents have been infiltrating across the border.
Damascus has recently taken some steps to prevent infiltration, including increasing border guards and filling wadis – gullies gouged by rainstorms – with cement blocks and barbed wire to block passage.
A Syrian diplomatic and security delegation was in Baghdad for the meetings and delivered a message from Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa to his Iraqi counterpart, Hoshyar Zebari, Abou said.
A similar Iraqi delegation was expected to visit Damascus following Syrian approval for the trip.
Syria broke relations with Baghdad in 1982 after accusing Saddam Hussein’s Iraq of inciting riots by the banned Muslim Brotherhood in Syria. Commercial ties improved in the last few years of Saddam’s regime before he was overthrown in 2003.
