Iraqi President Saddam Hussein met Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustapha Miro on Saturday, in the first such meeting since ties were broken off in 1980.
The Syrian Arabic daily, Al Thawrah, said that the officials reviewed bilateral ties and ways of boosting them in various fields.
The Palestinian crisis was also the focus of their talks, said the paper, adding that sanctions on Iraq were also discussed.
Later, Miro held talks with Iraqi Vice President Yassin Ramadan and discussed means of strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Ramadan said that during Miro's visit, the two countries would sign "a long-term cooperation agreement and various economic, commercial and cultural agreements ... in order to improve their economic complementarily."
For his part, Miro stressed "the need to activate the deals already signed" by the two countries, adding that "cooperation between Syria and Iraq strengthens Arab solidarity and economic complementarily."
Earlier, he restated the Syrian position in calling for the lifting of the embargo against Iraq, saying that "it violates the principles of the UN and international law."
Miro also stressed "the need to support the Palestinian people armed only with stones to face Zionist planes, tanks and missiles." – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
