Chief of the Iraqi intelligence visited Damascus, the two Baath party wings froze differences
Syria-Iraq, Politics, 2/16/2001

Sources at the Iraqi opposition in Syria unveiled that the chairman of the Iraqi intelligence Lt. Gen. Taher Jalil al-Haboush has recently visited Damascus and that Damascus and Baghdad had agreed to put " the doctrine differences" between " the two wings of the Baath party" aside and to co-operate for attaining regional balance.

At the meantime, the London- based al-Hayat daily said in Its Thursday's issue quoting diplomatic sources that the US Secretary of State Colen Powel will discuss with President Bashar al-Assad on February 26 the question of the Syrian- Iraqi relations, especially operating the Karkouk ( Iraq)- Banias ( Syrian) oil pipeline.

The "other's direction" ( al-Itijah al-Akhar) paper said that al-Haboush discussed during his recent visit to damascus with Syrian security and military men giving Iraqi support in case Syria will be exposed to an Israeli attack." The paper added that the Iraqi leadership formed the " Jerusalem army to liberate Palestine from the sea to the land and this was to back Syria militarily and immediately in case Syria is exposed to an Israeli aggression. Iraq is also intending to form several fighting groups in the name of 'al-Quds army' to back Syria and to contributing to receiving the first blow of war."

Earlier an Israeli paper said that Iraq had sent two military contingent to the border with Syria to support it.

The al-Hayat daily said that it could not receive an official comment on the information published by " al-Itijah al-Al- Akhar" which is published from Holland by the Hizb al-Watan al-Iraqi ( the Iraqi homeland party) Mashaan al-Jabouri who lives in Damascus.

Al-Jabouri told al-Hayat that information published in the first issue of the paper is true, including the decision of the Syrian and the Iraqi leadership to put their "doctrine differences apart and to maintain practical and realistic cooperation among them."

A report published in the front page of the paper said that the Iraqi vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan decided after his visit to Damascus by the end of February to sign the free trade agreement with Syria and to " halt any activity against Syria," in his being the Iraqi official in charge of this file in the leadership of the " Iraqi Baath party."

Al-Itijah al-Akhar indicated Syrian efforts to mediate between Baghdad and Tehran so as to have " Iraq a security passage between the two strategic allies against the possible risks resulting from electing Ariel Sharon as a prime minister in israel.

President Bashar al-Assad had visited Tehran in January and the Syrian prime minister Muhammad Mustafa Miro is expected to visit Baghdad to sign a" pan strategic agreement."

Worthy mentioning the Syrian foreign ministry decided to send ambassador Hassan Tawab to open the mission for serving interests on February 20.

Previous Stories:
  Contradictory news on resuming regular flights between Damascus, Baghdad   (2/14/2001)
  Iraqi opposition to halt activities harming to Iraq   (2/12/2001)
  Syrian interests office to be opened in Baghdad on February 20   (2/9/2001)

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