Syria for developing relations with neighboring states

The London-based al-Hayat daily said Sunday that during the 9th regional congress of the Baath Arab socialist Party, Syria's Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara debated an intervention which was only dedicated to develop relations with the neighboring states, including Iraq, Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon.

The paper added that Syrian member of parliaments and Baathists have recently called for developing relations between the two wings of the Baath Party who are ruling both in Damascus and Baghdad.

However, politicians several weeks ago questioned why Iraqi officials did not cooperate with the five-member committee formed by the Arab League under the chairmanship of the Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara to lift the embargo imposed on the Iraqi people.