Iraq closed anti-Syrian station
Iraq-Syria, Politics, 7/8/1997

Iraq has reportedly shut down a radio station run by Syrian dissidents in another step towards reconciliation with its one-time arch foe Damascus.

"The Voice of Arab Syria," which was critical of the regime of Syrian President Assad, was silenced two weeks ago "in a positive initiative towards the Syrians," the London-based Al-Hayat reported, quoting unnamed Iraqi opposition officials in Damascus.

The opposition officials also said that Syria continued to allow the anti-Iraqi "Voice of Iraq Broadcast" to operate. But its programs "have become more general and less critical," they said.

Iraq and Syria are ruled by rival factions of the Arab Ba'ath party. Iraq's move against the radio station followed the June 14 opening of three border crossing points between the two countries.

The frontier had been closed since 1980, when Iraq severed relations after Damascus backed Iran in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war. Relations worsened in 1991 when Syria sent troops to join the US-led coalition that ended Iraq's seven month occupation of Kuwait.

In recent weeks, business delegations from Iraq and Syria have exchanged visits. On July 7 a Syrian medical team arrived in Baghdad to discuss cooperation in manufacturing pharmaceuticals and the export of drugs from Syria to Iraq in line with the UN oil-for-food deal.

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