SYRIA: Iraq reassures Syria over US security pact

Record ID: 278575

  • Title: SYRIA: Iraq reassures Syria over US security pact
  • Date: 25th December 2008
  • Summary: (MER) DAMASCUS, SYRIA (DECEMBER 24, 2008) (REUTERS) IRAQI VICE-PRESIDENT TAREQ AL-HASHEMI WALKING INTO NEWS CONFERENCE SYRIAN OFFICIALS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IRAQI VICE-PRESIDENT TAREQ AL-HASHEMI, SAYING: "U.S. military actions that are taking place without Iraqi authorisation will stop at the end of this month, and starting from 1/1/2009 until 31/12/2011, every military a
  • Embargoed: 9th January 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA7INT9EHZOBQ24ED1NU8UAOXFB
  • Story Text: There will be no future military action by US troops in Iraq without the co-operastion and agreement of the Iraqi military, Vice-President Tarek al-Hashimi said.
    All future military action by U.S. forces will require prior consultation and co-ordination with Iraq's armed forces, Iraq's Vice-President said in Damascus on Wednesday (December 24).
    Vice-President Tareq al-Hashemi reaffirmed the need for closer co-operation between the two forces was a condition of the recently signed Iraq-US security pact.

    "U.S. military actions that are taking place without Iraqi authorisation will stop at the end of this month, and starting from January 1, 2009 until December 31, 2011, every military action will happen in co-ordination and agreement with the Iraqi armed forces", al-Hashemi told a news conference.
    Iraq would not permit its territory to be used as a launching pad for attacks on neighbouring countries, he said.
    Hashemi said he held discussions with Syrian officials about the stalled economic relationship between the two neighbouring countries.

    "We do have a political problem between Iraq and Syria today that has to be solved. The political problem is an obstacle to economic relations between Iraq and Syria," he said.
    Hashemi said both Iraq and Syria wanted to improve relations between the two countries.
    The Iraqi Vice-President met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Syrian Vice-President Farouq al-Shara.
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