Middle East News
Syria and Iraqi vice presidents in talks in Damascus
Mar 6, 2007, 8:43 GMT
Damascus - Syrian Vice-President Farouk al-Sharaa held talks with his Iraqi counterpart Tariq al-Hashemi on the grave situation in Iraq and other regional and international developments, Syria's official Sana news agency reported Tuesday.
In the meeting Monday night, Sharaa reiterated Syria's backing of current efforts to achieve Iraqi national reconciliation and to make the political process a success, stressing that 'only national reconciliation and an end of occupation could restore stability and preserve Iraq's territorial unity.'
Al-Hashemi, who flew to Syria on Monday, underlined the importance of the role that Syria could play to help Iraqis out of the current crisis.
The United States and Iraqi officials accuse Damascus of providing refuge for Sunni insurgents and allowing them to cross the border into Iraq to fight American and Iraqi troops. Syria denies the charge, countering that the Iraqis and their US backers are not doing enough to guard their side of the border.
Al-Hashemi however thanked Syria for hosting Iraqi refugees.
Unofficial estimates have the number of Iraqis who fled their country following the overthrow of the former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein at 1.5 million.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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