Syrian - Iranian consultations with Iraqi opposition

Diplomatic sources in Cairo said today that Damascus and Tehran will intensify their communications regarding the developments of the situation in Iraq.

The source said that Iranian Vice President Hassan Habibi will visit Damascus at the end of the current week to head his country's delegation to the meeting of the high joint committee, headed on the Syrian side by Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam.

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi and Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa held discussions on Monday over the phone.

The sources said the Iranian - Syrian consultations, in which the secretary-general of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Jalal Talibani, participated, aimed at confronting any developments regarding US efforts to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.