Al-Assad confers with the Iraqi vice- President

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday at the Damascus presidential palace received the Iraqi vice- President Taha Yassin Ramadan.

Ramadan was accompanied by the Iraqi minister of commerce Muhammad Mahdi Saleh, the foreign minister Muhammad Sa'eed al-Sahaf, the transport minister Ahmad Murtada Ahmad, the foreign ministry secretary Nabil Najm and the chairman of the Iraqi interests branch in Damascus Muhammad Rifaat al-Ani.

President at the meeting was the foreign minister Farouk al-Shara.

Talks dealt with the importance of bilateral relations between Syrian and Iraq and the general situation in the region.

Earlier in the day, the Iraqi vice President arrived in Damascus in a visit to Syria.

At Damascus airport he was welcomed by the Syrian prime minister Muhammad Mustafa Miro, the foreign minister al-Shara, and the Cabinet ministers.