Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara said on Thursday that Syria will restore diplomatic relations with Iraq as soon as a new Iraqi government is formed, the official SANA news agency reported.

 

Shara was quoted as telling a visiting Iraqi media delegation that the two countries "will name ambassadors after the formation of the next Iraqi government."

 

"Syria wants to build the closest relations with Iraq and bilateral cooperation will be strengthened in the political, security, economic and trade fields," said Shara.

 

He added that Syria is committed to the unity of the Iraqi people and the integrity of Iraq's territory and hoped for an end to the US occupation of Iraq.

 

Intense negotiations are underway in Iraq among the Shiites, the Kurds and the Sunnis on the formation of a new government following the country's December general elections.

 

Syria and Iraq severed diplomatic relations in early 1980s after Damascus sided with Iran in the Iran-Iraq war.

 

Currently, the two countries only keep interest sections in each other's capitals.

 

Syria's call to restore relations with Iraq came at a time when Damascus is facing international pressure over a UN probe to the assassination of former Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri. Many Lebanese have blame Syria for Hariri's killing, but Damascus has denied any involvement.

 

Since the fall of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein in 2003, Syria has also been accused by the US and senior officials from the Iraqi interim government of failing to prevent foreign militants from crossing into Iraq and destabilizing situation there.

 

Meanwhile, the Iraqi interim authorities have also asked Arab countries to send ambassadors to Baghdad to support the government, although some countries were hesitant in doing so after an Egyptian diplomat was assassinated in Baghdad last year.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2006)