Al-Assad might visit Baghdad in September
Syria-Iraq, Politics, 8/24/2001

In a step which will be, if officially confirmed, the first for an Arab president since the Gulf War of 1991 and also the first for a Syrian President since 20 years, President Bashar al-Assad will pay a visit to Iraq in September, according to the United Arab Emirates UAE daily al-Itihad issued on Thursday.

The paper quoted sources close to the Syrian interests office in Baghdad as saying that the Syrian prime minister Muhammad Mustafa Miro had prepared for the visit of President al-Assad to Iraq during his visit to Baghdad by the beginning of this month.

The same source indicated that there is " a Syrian initiative which is away from limelight to settle the Iraqi- Kuwaiti " differences. Al-Assad, this week paid a three day visit to Kuwait.

The Syrian charge de affairs in Baghdad Muhammad Hassan al-Tawab refused to answer questions put by journalists to confirm these information by saying " I apologize to answer this question." On Tuesday, the Iraqi vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan held a surprising visit to Damascus upon the return back of President Bashar al-Assad from Kuwait.

All these were after press reports indicated that there is a Syrian initiative to maintain" good offices " between the two countries. A matter which was denied by both Baghdad and Kuwait. Ramadan described his talks with the Syrian president as " friendly and positive." The Iraqi news agency quoted Ramadan as saying on Wednesday upon his return back to Baghdad that he: " my meeting with President al-Assad was friendly and positive during which discussions dealt with what was agreed upon during Miro's visit to Baghdad and settling simple suspended matters with the aim of revitalizing joint Arab works between the two countries.

Previous Stories:
  Iraqi delegation led by Vice President Ramadan visits Aleppo   (8/23/2001)
  On the visit of Ramadan to Damascus   (8/23/2001)
  Al-Assad confers with Junblat, Ramadan   (8/22/2001)

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