Syria renews commitment to Iraq unity

Syria on Monday renewed its commitment to Iraq's unity and territorial integrity and called for withdrawal of foreign troops from the war-ravaged country, the official SANA news agency reported.

"Syria supports the ongoing political process in Iraq ... the solution to the current situation in Iraq should be political," Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem was quoted as saying.

Al-Muallem made the remarks during a meeting with Iraqi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Rafi Hiyad al-Isawi.

"Syria is ready to help the Iraqi people achieve national reconciliation," al-Muallem said.

He said that his meeting with al-Isawi, who accompanied Iraqi President Jalal Talabani on a landmark visit here, came in light of President Bashar al-Assad's directives to discuss aspects of cooperation between the two neighbors.

For his part, the Iraqi minister briefed al-Muallem on the latest developments of the political process in Iraq and efforts exerted by the government to realize national reconciliation.

He expressed appreciation of Syria's support to those efforts, voicing commitment to consolidating ties between the two countries in all fields.

Talabani, the first Iraqi head of state to visit Syria in nearly three decades, arrived here on Sunday with a high-ranking delegation including interior, trade and water ministers and the chief of the State Oil Marketing Organization.

Talabani's visit came just days after U.S. President George W. Bush announced a new Iraqi strategy which outlines tough actions against alleged Syrian and Iranian meddling in Iraq.

Syria has been constantly accused by Washington of doing little to stop foreign fighters from infiltrating into Iraq and thus destabilizing the situation there.

Damascus denied the charges, saying that it is cooperating with Iraq on strengthening security along their borders.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said on Sunday that tightening border controls, cracking down on infiltration of fighters and other security issues would be high on the agenda of talks between Talabani and Syrian leaders.

Syria and Iraq restored full diplomatic relations last November during a visit by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem to Iraq, who pledged to help in securing the war-ravaged country.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries broke off in the 1980s as Damascus took the side of Tehran in the eight-year Iran- Iraq war.

Source: Xinhua