Syria Strengthens Ties With Iraq

While the United States looks for ways to distance itself from Iraq, Syria intends to grow closer to its neighbour, a well-informed source told the pro-government newspaper Al-Watan.



As evidence, the source – who spoke under conditions of anonymity – pointed to Syrian foreign minister Walid al-Muallem’s two-day visit to Baghdad last month.



During the trip, Muallem emphasised the historical ties between Iraq and Syria as well as the importance of cooperating on economics and security.



“We believe the situation in Iraq is improving, and we hope it will continue along this course and enable the Iraqi people to see the withdrawal of foreign forces according to the agreed timetable,” Muallem reportedly told journalists after meeting Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.