Al Mua'alem on historic visit

Baghdad: The visit by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al Mua'alem to Iraq yesterday comes amid the growing US calls for Syrian-American talks on Iraq.

Mua'alem's visit, his first since the ouster of Saddam Hussain, is a major step toward restoring diplomatic relations severed more than a quarter-century ago. He was to meet with the Iraqi leadership, including Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki.

It comes after former US secretary of state James Baker, head of the Iraq Study Group, met with Syrian officials.

Mua'alem's visit is also important due to what is being speculated about a possible change in the US strategy in Iraq, Nadim Al Jaberi, a Shiite leader, said. Al Jaberi told Gulf News: "What is important for Iraq is conducting a direct dialogue with Syria without any influence from the Americans.

"There are no problems between Iraq and Syria but there are problems between Washington and Damascus on Iraq," Al Jaberi said.

"The Iraqi government prefers a direct dialogue with Damascus without the presence of the Americans because Iraqis fear that a Syrian-American political deal is expected to be struck at the expense of Iraq," Al Jaberi noted.

The visit also comes amid Iraqi accusations that Syria is turning a blind eye to armed fighters crossing the border into Iraq.