American paper to amend sanctions imposed on Iraq

The London- based al-Hayat daily issued on Wednesday quoted its correspondent in Damascus that the American ambassador in Damascus Rayan Crocker handed over several days ago the Syrian deputy foreign minister Walid al-Mu'allam a copy of the American paper which includes ideas to amend the sanctions imposed on Iraq.

The spokesman for the American embassy in Damascus ( also the director of the American cultural center in Damascus ) Steve Scish refused to comment, noting that " we do not discuss in open the secret discussions between Syria and America." Well-informed sources told the paper that Syria and Iraq are working to reach a comprehensive agreement for relations between themselves, including the opening of all borders between the two states.

The paper indicated that the Syrian foreign minister Farouk al-Shara refused to talks in depth with the US under secretary of state Edward Walker about the Iraqi file in light of the continued Israeli aggression against the Arabs.