Syrian- Iraqi talks on waters, housing issues
Deputy chairman of the revolution's leadership council in Iraq, Izzat Ibrahim has stressed " Baghdad's care to develop and strengthen relations " with Damascus in all fields. He explained that Iraq wants to make use, especially " from the Syrian efforts" in the areas of agriculture and irrigation.
The Iraqi news agency quoted Ibrahim as saying on Sunday during his meeting with the Syrian two ministers of irrigation and housing Taha al-Atrash and Muhammad Nihad Mushantat, respectively that " Iraq is careful to develop its agriculture, water and housing relations with Syria." He added that Iraq " desires to benefit from the Syrian effort in the agricultural, irrigation and housing areas to be added to the experiences of the Iraqis in the field of investing ground waters and developing the technologies of irrigation, roads and bridges."
The two Syrian ministers expressed their country's desire to " expand prospects of cooperation" with Iraq in various areas and the exchange of acquired expertise among specialists in the two countries.
Al-Atrash and Mushantat on Saturday evening held talks with their Iraqi counterparts dealt with " means of maintaining co-operation in the fields of irrigation, housing and building up.
The Iraqi news agency said the ministers of irrigation Mahmoud Ziab al-Ahmad and the housing Maan Abdullah held with the two Syrian ministers talks during which they stressed the " joint desire to develop and expand this co-operation to serve the interests of the two countries.
The two Syrian ministers arrived in Baghdad on Saturday leading two official delegations to hold talks with the Iraqi officials on means of boosting cooperation in these areas.
The Iraqi irrigation minister said he will extend an invitation to the Turkish side to take part in the talks with his Syrian counterpart to dissolve problems relating to the water issue.
The visits of the two Syrian delegations to Baghdad comes at the wake of the visit to be held by the Iraqi vice- President Taha Yassin Ramadan to Damascus to sign an economic agreement with Syria.
