EGYPT: Iraq's foreign minister says his country has opened a "new page" in relations with Iraq's neighbour Syria.

Arab League foreign ministers met on Tuesday (December 5) in Cairo to discuss the ongoing war in Iraq and a possible Arab initiative to stop the fighting. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak also met with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari to discuss the crisis in Lebanon with Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal. After meeting with Mubarak, Zebari heralded a "new page" in relations with Iraq's neighbour, Syria, saying full diplomatic relations would soon be established between the two countries. The two countries reportedly agreed to the step after Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem visited Baghdad on November 21. Iraq and Syria severed ties nearly a quarter of a century ago when Syria sided with Iran in the Iran-Iraq war. "This is a new stage in relations between Iraq and Syria that began with the visit of the Syrian foreign minister to Baghdad. And there are now wide bilateral relations. Very soon we will raise the Iraqi flag in Damascus and they will raise the Syrian flag in Baghdad to begin full diplomatic relations between us. Also an Iraqi security delegation, equipped with all the required information and files, will enter into serious and direct discussion with the Syrian government to ensure security cooperation between the two countries," said Zebari. Al-Moualem was the first Syrian minister to visit Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. Iraq's courting of Syria, which comes at a time the United States is considering engaging Syria and Iran on the future of Iraq, is apparently conducted in the hope that improved relations will help stem what Baghdad says is Syrian support for Iraqi militants. The Arab League meeting to discuss the violence in Iraq that has killed over 7,000 civilians in the last two months alone comes as tensions grow in Lebanon, with fears in the Arab world that sectarian clashes there might spiral out of control. Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa warned on Monday (December 4) the crisis could worsen and indicated he had discussed ideas for a solution with Lebanese officials during a 24-hour visit to Beirut. Moussa said Arab countries could not afford to be bystanders in a crisis that developed after Hezbollah's summer war with Israel. After Mubarak's meeting with the Saudi Foreign Minister, a presidential spokesman said recent developments in Lebanon were at the top of the agenda for their talks. "There is also a constant exchange of views between Egypt and Saudi Arabia about the Lebanese problem. Both the ambassadors of Egypt and Saudi Arabia are tackling the Lebanese problem, looking to solve the problem and to avoid escalating the poor situation, which looks very dangerous for Lebanon," said Suleiman Awad. Lebanon's army deployed more soldiers in Beirut on Monday after the killing of a pro-Syrian Shi'ite Muslim demonstrator raised fears anti-government protests could turn into sectarian violence. The Shi'ite group Hezbollah and its allies in the opposition had taken to the streets and were holding an indefinite sit-in to force the resignation of Western-backed Sunni Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. Many politicians and observers had warned that the crisis could spill over into sectarian strife in a country that had gone through two civil wars in the last century.

ITN Source | December 5, 2006

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