The foreign ministers of Syria and Iraq met in Damascus on Tuesday to discuss ways to tackle militant groups in their countries and Iraq called for greater international cooperation to combat the violence, Syrian state media said. The Shi'ite Muslim-led government in Baghdad, together with Iran and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, have been important allies for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Shi'ite Iraqi militias have fought on Assad's side against the insurgency spearheaded by Sunni Islamists. Iraq's armed forces are also the main partner on the ground for a U.S.-led coalition bombing Islamic State militants in Iraq, but Washington and other Western governments have dismissed the idea of cooperating directly with Syria in the same fight. Tuesday's high-level discussions “focused on the fight against terrorism and common dangers that threaten our countries,” Syrian state television said, citing a joint news conference by the foreign ministers at Damascus airport. It did not specify which groups the discussions were referring to. Iraq has acted as a go-between for information about the U.S.-led airstrikes against Islamic State in both countries. Iraq's Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari also met Tuesday with Assad in the first visit by a senior Baghdad official since Syria's conflict began in 2011. Jaafari's visit comes ahead of an Arab League meeting in Egypt this weekend. Syria's seat has been left vacant since its membership was suspended in November 2011 after the government's crackdown on protests. Stresses need for cooperation “Terrorism is not just a danger that faces both countries but one that will affect all countries if there is not cooperation,” Jaafari said, according to Syria's state news channel. His Syrian counterpart, Walid al-Moualem, said the two countries “stand in the same trench against terrorism,” state news agency SANA said. In September Iraq's national security adviser briefed Assad on efforts to counter Islamic State militants, in the first such meeting since the United States launched airstrikes on the group in Iraq. Territory held by the Islamic State group in Syria includes most of Deir al-Zor province, which borders Iraq. Assad said last month that third parties, including Iraq, were conveying information to Damascus about the U.S.-led campaign of airstrikes against Islamic State fighters in Syria. Some material for this report came from AFP.
from Voice of America http://ift.tt/1EN5FNM
from Voice of America http://ift.tt/1EN5FNM
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