Iran-Syria summit in Tehran focuses on improved cooperation (Roundup)

Aug 2, 2008, 17:43 GMT

Tehran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad discussed improved cooperation at the start of a two-day summit in Tehran Saturday, state television network IRIB reported.

The two presidents explored ways to strengthen and expand bilateral and international cooperation 'as a means of maintaining regional stability and security,' IRIB reported.

The two sides also voiced their readiness to increase annual trade volumes from the current 340 million to 640 million dollars.

IRIB further said in a commentary that Assad's visit to Tehran was a clear signal to the West that, despite Syria's indirect talks with Israel, the Tehran-Damascus alliance would continue to exist.

Assad is also to meet on Sunday with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Top of the agenda will be Syria's indirect talks, under Turkish auspices, with Iran's arch-foe Israel, which has irritated Tehran. Assad is expected to defend the talks in his meetings with Iranian officials.

Also on the agenda will be the expansion of bilateral ties and Iran's reassurance that its nuclear projects are only for peaceful purposes.

Israel and the US have urged Syria to end its alliance with Tehran, its support for radical Palestinian factions and Lebanon's Hezbollah opposition group.

Bilateral ties were cemented by a military cooperation agreement signed in 2006.