Talabani briefs Assad on efforts to form govt.

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi President Jalal Talabani briefed his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad on efforts exerted to form an Iraqi national partnership government during a meeting on the sidelines of an extraordinary Arab summit in the Libyan city of Sirte. “President Talabani paid a visit on Saturday evening to President Assad at his residence in Sirte and posted him on the efforts exerted to form a national partnership government that would encompass all groups of the Iraqi people,” according to a statement published on the Iraqi presidency web site. “For his part, President Assad said Syria would support a broad national Iraqi government and would do whatever it can to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two neighboring countries,” it added. Talabani had left Iraq on Friday afternoon with a high-ranking delegation to take part in the extraordinary Arab summit in Sirte. AmR (P)/SR 1