Al-Sharq al-Awsat: Talibani seeks to maintain closeness to Syria

The London- based al-Sharq al-Awsat daily said yesterday that the leader of the Iraqi Kurdistani national party Jalal al-Talibani is trying to be close to Damascus's regime following the protest he had received from Turkey and Iran.

The paper added that a meeting was held recently between al-Talibani and the assistant secretary general of the ruling Baath party Abdullah al-Ahmar at the office of the national federation in Damascus. The paper indicated the circles gave no information on the meeting and its details and that the official in charge of public relations in the Baath Party Adel Murad confined to saying that al-Talibani's visit does not include a new element, while al-Talibani said that his visit to Damascus after Tehran came in the framework of the frequent visits.