Iraq and Syria restore diplomatic relations after more than 20 years
Baghdad (AsiaNews) Syria and Iraq are to restore diplomatic relations after a break at the time of the Iran-Iraq war. The announcement on restoring all diplomatic ties was made in Baghdad by Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari at the end of a meeting with his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallim. Mr Zebari said that the agreement includes full normalisation between the two countries as well as cooperation on security issues. Experts from both countries are set to meet to discuss security problems.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki had stressed this issue yesterday when he called on Syria to do more to help his country re-establish its internal security. Syria has been blamed for not stopping fighters and weapons destined for the Iraqi insurgency from crossing its borders into Iraq.
For the US, Syria must show a real commitment to stop infiltrations by terrorists from its territory. Muallem did not reject the charges but simply said he would not deal with them. With good will and good intentions security, issues can be solved by our experts, he said.
The surprising move by Syria, which had always accused the Iraqi government of being a puppet in US hands, comes in the wake of US congressional elections that saw the Democrats win, of comments by influential experts like Henry Kissinger who said that Iran and Syria must be brought in to solve the Iraqi situation and by the US saying that it wants Syria drawn away from Iran.
Although it is still too soon to say whether Syria's moves are in response to US actions, it is clear that Iran is not standing by idly. On Saturday Tehran is set to welcome Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.
The fact that moves by Syria and Iran have occurred at the same has led to speculation that Syrian President Bashir al-Assad might join his Iranian and Iraqi counterparts in Tehran.
Iraq's foreign ministry denied the rumour but that it was suggest at all indicates that there is some "movement" on the Iraqi issue and in regional system of alliances.
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