SOURCE: Reuters
Syria will take part in a meeting to stabilize Iraq attended by the United States, the official Syrian news agency SANA said on Wednesday.
The agency said Syrian officials would be present at the mid-level Baghdad meeting, called by Iraq for March 10, that would gather representatives of Iraq's neighbors and permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. The United States has accused Damascus of undermining its allies in Baghdad.
"Talking with the United States about Iraq is a partial step in the right direction. All the problems in the region are interlinked," a foreign ministry official told the official news agency SANA.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said the meeting would be a chance for countries such as Syria and its ally Iran to solve differences with Western countries over Iraq.
A ministerial meeting is also expected in April, but a Syrian official told Reuters it was too early for Damascus to decide whether to attend.
The Bush administration says Syria is allowing anti-U.S. insurgents to cross into Iraq and has rejected suggestions, including a report by the Iraq Study Group, advising it to engage Syria and Iran in a dialogue about Iraq.
Syria, which denies helping the rebels, has said it welcomes talks with Washington but other issues behind Middle East instability should be discussed, including the Palestinian issue and Israel's 40-year occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights.
President Bashar al-Assad said in February Syria has enough credibility in Iraq to play a main role in stabilizing the country, but that time was running short to prevent a civil war.Around one million Iraqi refugees have fled to Syria since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that removed Saddam Hussein from power. The Damascus government have maintained ties with members of the Iraqi Baath Party, which ruled Iraq for 35 years, as well as political players opposed or in favor of the U.S. presence.
Although Syria opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, it has been adopting a friendlier tone to the U.S.-backed government. Iraq and Syria resumed diplomatic ties after a quarter of a century break last year and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani visited Damascus in January.
Syria has been under U.S. sanctions since 2004, mainly for backing the Lebanese Hezbollah group and the Palestinian Hamas movement.
Syria will take part in a meeting to stabilize Iraq attended by the United States, the official Syrian news agency SANA said on Wednesday.
The agency said Syrian officials would be present at the mid-level Baghdad meeting, called by Iraq for March 10, that would gather representatives of Iraq's neighbors and permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. The United States has accused Damascus of undermining its allies in Baghdad.
"Talking with the United States about Iraq is a partial step in the right direction. All the problems in the region are interlinked," a foreign ministry official told the official news agency SANA.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said the meeting would be a chance for countries such as Syria and its ally Iran to solve differences with Western countries over Iraq.
A ministerial meeting is also expected in April, but a Syrian official told Reuters it was too early for Damascus to decide whether to attend.
The Bush administration says Syria is allowing anti-U.S. insurgents to cross into Iraq and has rejected suggestions, including a report by the Iraq Study Group, advising it to engage Syria and Iran in a dialogue about Iraq.
Syria, which denies helping the rebels, has said it welcomes talks with Washington but other issues behind Middle East instability should be discussed, including the Palestinian issue and Israel's 40-year occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights.
President Bashar al-Assad said in February Syria has enough credibility in Iraq to play a main role in stabilizing the country, but that time was running short to prevent a civil war.Around one million Iraqi refugees have fled to Syria since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that removed Saddam Hussein from power. The Damascus government have maintained ties with members of the Iraqi Baath Party, which ruled Iraq for 35 years, as well as political players opposed or in favor of the U.S. presence.
Although Syria opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, it has been adopting a friendlier tone to the U.S.-backed government. Iraq and Syria resumed diplomatic ties after a quarter of a century break last year and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani visited Damascus in January.
Syria has been under U.S. sanctions since 2004, mainly for backing the Lebanese Hezbollah group and the Palestinian Hamas movement.