Maliki urges Syria’s Assad to boost bilateral ties

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Tuesday sent a message to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad urging him to boost relations between the two countries, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). “President Assad received a message from Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki conveyed by a delegation from the State of Law bloc regarding Syrian-Iraqi relations and means to cement them in all fields to the two sides’ interests,” SANA reported on its web site. It added that President Assad stressed keenness on having stronger relations with Iraq and sustaining its security, stability and territorial integrity. Talks dealt with the latest developments regarding efforts to form the new Iraqi government and the importance of participation of all Iraqis to gain consent and strengthen Iraq‘s unity, security and stability which help restore its Arab and international role. President al-Assad reiterated Syria‘s support to any agreement among Iraqis based on preserving Iraq‘s unity, Arabism and sovereignty. In a press conference following the meeting with President al-Assad, the members of the Iraqi State of Law Coalition delegation said that the relation with Syria is ‘natural’ and ‘historic’ making it clear that this relation is ‘strategic’ and that common interests exist as to bolster the bonds of amity, fraternity and interests between both sisterly countries. The members of the Iraqi State of Law Coalition delegation pointed out that assertion was laid during the meeting on common interests between Syria and Iraq, and that the program of State of Law Coalition was dealt with, as well as the real participation of all Iraqi political forces and components in Iraq‘s future government. The members declared that Nouri al-Maliki is to start studying the formation of a new government in Iraq upon the return of the delegation, and that the big hurdle facing the formation of the government was close to be resolved, and that 80 percent of the papers exchanged between the Iraqi State of Law Coalition and the Iraqi List, chaired by Iyad Allawi, was agreed upon. Scores of Iraqi officials paid visits to Syria during the past few months including Moqtada al-Sadr, leader of the Sadrist Movement, Ammar al-Hakim, leader of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC), Iyad Allawi, leader of al-Iraqiya bloc, Vice-President Adel Abdulmahdi, and Iyad Al-Sammaraie, leader of the Iraqi Accord Front. AmR (S) 2