URGENT / Syria rejects Iraq’s remarks, recalls ambassador

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Syria recalled its ambassador to Iraq Tuesday after Iraq ordered home its envoy and demanded the handover of two men allegedly behind a deadly truck bombing last week, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said. “In response to the recalling by the Iraqi government of the Iraqi ambassador for consultation, Syria has decided to recall its ambassador to Baghdad ,” a Foreign Ministry statement said quoted by Syrian news agency ( SANA ) . ” Syria categorically rejects the statement of the spokesman of the Iraqi government regarding the bloody attacks in Baghdad last Wednesday,” it said, adding: ” Syria had forcefully denounced this terrorist act which left victims among the Iraqi people.” The statement said that Syria had informed Iraq that it was “waiting to receive an Iraqi delegation that would provide it with available evidence on the authors of the attack. If not, it will consider that what has been published in the Iraqi media is nothing but fabricated evidence for domestic political purposes. ” Syria has many times affirmed its commitment to the unity, independence, security and stability of Iraq and regrets that its relations with Iraq are dependant on domestic conflicts and, possibly, the agendas of foreigners.” The tit-for-tat moves came as a l-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the bombings, which killed 95 people and wounded almost 600. The diplomatic row throws into disarray recent efforts to improve ties between the neighboring states, which had been weak under former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Earlier Tuesday, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said “the cabinet demands the Syrian government hand over Mohammed Younis al-Ahmed and Sattam Farhan. “The cabinet decided to ask that they be handed over for their direct role in carrying out the terrorist operation,” it added. On Sunday, Iraq aired a video showing a former police chief confessing to the bombing at the Finance Ministry, one of two truck bombs in the capital. The man said he had received orders from his Baathist boss Farhan, who, along with Ahmed, also a Baathist leader loyal to Saddam, was based in Syria , according to his video confession. “We also demand that Syria hand over every person wanted for committing murders and crimes against Iraqis and to kick out all terrorist organizations that use Syria as a base to launch and plan such operations against Iraqi people,” it said. SH (I)/SR 2