Syrian - Iranian higher committee meets in Damascus today

Iranian Vice President Hassan Habibi will visit Damascus today to take part in the meetings of the Syrian-Iranian joint higher committee, to start deliberations later in the day.

Habibi is accompanied by a high-ranking Iranian delegation. The joint higher committee meets twice every year in Tehran and Damascus alternatively. The last meeting of the committee was held in Damascus in July 1997, during which a memorandum of understanding was signed between the two countries in the economic, trade and technical fields.

On the Syrian side, the memorandum was signed by Syrian Prime Minister Mahmoud al-Zoubi and the Iranian side was represented by Habibi, who then described the talks he held in Damascus as "very successful," and attaining set objectives."