Iraq's Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein held talks in Syria on Monday during an official visit, his first to Damascus since the fall of the Assad regime.
Mr Hussein’s visit to Damascus came at the invitation of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by state news agency Ina.
Mr Hussein is scheduled to hold a series of meetings with senior Syrian officials to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and expanding co-operation across political, security, economic and trade sectors.
The talks will also “address the latest regional and international developments … as well as discuss efforts to promote security and stability in the region,” it added.
“During an official visit to Syria, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, upon his arrival in Damascus, discussed bilateral relations and expanding co-operation between the two countries with his Syrian counterpart, Asaad Al Shibani”, said Ina.
Mr Al Shibani received the Iraqi delegation at Tishreen Palace, reported Syria's state-run news agency Sana. It said the meeting comes as the two neighbours seek to “enhance co-operation and deepen co-ordination on issues of mutual interest”, and reflects “continuing efforts by Damascus and Baghdad to expand political and institutional co-operation and promote closer co-ordination on regional and bilateral issues”.
The visit follows a meeting between Mr Hussein and Mr Al Shibani on the sidelines of the Arab League ministerial meetings in Amman last week, where the Syrian Foreign Minister extended the formal invitation to visit Damascus.
Iraq has long sought stability along its border with Syria, where ISIS remnants and drug trafficking networks continue to pose serious security challenges.
When the Assad regime fell, Baghdad was wary of the newly established figures, many of whom had former links to Al Qaeda. Since then, however, the two sides have built a relationship largely driven by security co-operation. Thousands of suspected ISIS members have been transferred from Syria to Iraq in recent months.
With Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz, Iraq, whose only access to the sea is through Basra, near the strait, looked for alternative export routes. In April, Opec's second-largest oil producer began exporting fuel oil through Syria, building on the security relationship to open the door for broader economic co-operation.
Mr Hussein's visit comes at a critical moment in the Middle East, as Iran and the US negotiate a permanent peace deal that could impact the region's dynamics for decades to come.
