Iraq PM takes mission to Beirut

Allawi is hoping to rebuild ties with Iraq's neighbours

The Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi is visiting Lebanon trying to win its support for his interim government.

His talks in Beirut are expected to centre on economic issues, and the resumption of trading relations.

On Saturday, in Syria, Mr Allawi and President Bashar al-Assad agreed to take action to stop militants crossing their joint border into Iraq.

Mr Allawi has also been to Egypt and Jordan, and is due to visit Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on his regional tour.

Ties to be restored

He is trying to rebuild relations with Iraq's neighbours following the end of Saddam Hussein's regime.

In Lebanon, economic ties with what used to be Iraq's most important trading partner, will be at the centre of discussions.

Mr Allawi is expected to encourage the Lebanese to look for business opportunities inside Iraq.

In Damascus on Saturday, he said diplomatic ties with Syria would be restored as soon as possible.

Now it's time for us to close ranks. Iyad Allawi Iraqi Prime Minister

They were broken off in 1980 because of Syria's support for Tehran during the Iran-Iraq war.

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Naji Otri said his government was keen to help Iraq achieve security.

He assured Mr Allawi that Syria would try to prevent infiltration of the two countries' 600km (370 mile) border by fighters blamed for inflaming the insurgency in Iraq.

Assets freed

The move is being seen as a sign that years of hostility between the nations are giving way to a new start.

"Syria has seen terrorism in earlier days, even by the old regime in Iraq when Saddam tried to inflict a lot of damage on the Syrian people and kill a lot of Syrian civilians. Now it's time for us to close ranks," Mr Allawi said.

The BBC's Kim Ghattas, in Beirut, says that, at least officially, the Syrians and their Iraqi guests reached accord on all the issues that were on the agenda.

That included agreement in principle on the return of Iraqi assets frozen in Syrian banks since the toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime.

They are estimated to be worth anywhere between $500m (£270m) and $1bn.