Syria and Iraq mend fences

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustapha Miro has arrived in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, in a new sign of improving relations between the previously bitter neighbours.

Mr Miro is the highest-ranking Syrian official to visit since ties were severed over Syria's support for Iran in its 1980-1988 war with Iraq.

The two countries began to normalise ties in 1997 and since then there has been a steady improvement.

Iraq has been selling limited amounts of oil in return for Syrian goods

Syria, which exports goods to Iraq under the oil-for-food programme, has repeatedly urged the lifting of the United Nations embargo on Iraq.

Mr Miro was met at Saddam International Airport by Iraqi Vice-President, Taha Yassein Ramadan, and a guard of honour.

Trade and sanctions

Accompanied by a delegation of ministers and businessmen, Mr Miro called for an end to UN sanctions, the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported.

"Dr Miro affirmed Syria's position of the need to lift the unjust embargo on Iraq, which contradicts international law," INA said.

He also said he expected to sign agreements on boosting trade and cultural cooperation.

A BBC correspondent in the Middle East Caroline Hawley says improving ties with Syria is one way for Baghdad to break out of its isolation, while for Damascus selling more goods will help revive its stagnant economy.

The volume of trade between Syria and Iraq is put at around $700m and is expected to increase to $1bn by the end of the year.

Trade is conducted under the UN programme that allows Iraq to sell a limited amount of oil to import food and humanitarian goods.

There are also reports of large amounts of Iraqi oil passing through Syria in a growing illicit export trade, although this is denied by Syrian officials.

Rivalry

Syria and Iraq are ruled by rival factions of the Baath party, an Arab nationalist political grouping.

President Saddam Hussein and the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad were bitter political enemies.

Ties worsened when Syria joined the international coalition against Iraq in 1991

After ties were severed in 1980, relations deteriorated further when the Syrians joined the US-led coalition that drove Iraq out of Kuwait in 1991.

But ties began to improve in 1997 and have warmed further under President Assad's son, Bashir, who succeeded him last year.