Iraq, Syria to restore diplomatic ties

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Source: CCTV.com | 11-22-2006 08:45

Iraq and Syria have signed an agreement to restore diplomatic ties. This is seen as an important move after a break of nearly a quarter of a century.

The agreement came during a visit by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem, who arrived in Iraq on Sunday. It's the first visit by a senior Syrian official since the US-led invasion in 2003.

After the signing ceremony, Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told reporters that the two countries agreed on naming their ambassadors and raising the Iraqi flag in Damascus and the Syrian flag in Baghdad.

He said: "We have explored all the fields of cooperation and the agreement, which we signed, declares the restoration of full diplomatic relations between our two countries as a first step. We have also discussed means and ways of commercial and economic cooperation even in the fields of oil, water and commerce."

The agreement also included security cooperation. And both countries agree US troops should stay in Iraq for now.

Saddam Hussein and Syria's late President, Hafez al-Assad, severed ties in 1982 when Syria sided with Iran during the Iran-Iraq war.

Editor:Wang Ping