Middle East News
Iraqi president Talibani to visit Syria in January
Dec 28, 2006, 14:25 GMT
Damascus - Iraq's President Jalal Talibani is to visit Syria in January for talks on all 'pending issues' between the two countries, Talibani's Kurdish National Union party said in a statement Thursday.
The Kurdish party statement issued in Damascus said the meeting to strengthen bilateral relations was agreed following the reception of Talibani's special envoy Fakhri Karim Zankneh by Syrian President Bashar Assad.
The Damascus office of the Kurdish National Union stated that a letter from Talibani was delivered to Assad, whose meeting with Zankneh was 'cordial and dealt with all issues of mutual interest.'
Zankneh on Wednesday also met with Syrian Vice-President Farouk al-Sharaa, according to Syria's official news agency SANA.
Following a visit by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem to Baghdad last month, Syria restored diplomatic relations with Iraq early December after a break of 24 years.
In 1982, Syria broke diplomatic ties with Iraq, which Syria accused of inciting riots by the banned Muslim Brotherhood. Damascus also sided with Iran in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war. Trade ties between Iraq and Syria were restored in 1997.
© 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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