Turkish FM says Syria and Iraq must jointly struggle against terrorismSeptember 17th, 2009 Turkey urges Syria, Iraq to fight terrorismANKARA, Turkey — Syria and Iraq should unite against terrorism, Turkey's foreign minister said Thursday amid efforts to defuse tensions over Iraqi allegations that Syria has been used as a launching pad for violence in Baghdad. Ahmet Davutoglu's remarks came after the foreign ministers of Syria and Iraq met in Istanbul for talks.It was not clear whether any tangible results have been reached during the meeting between Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem and his Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari.
Syria's president, Turkey's prime minister discuss stalled peace process with IsraelSeptember 16th, 2009 Syrian president in Turkey for talks on IsraelANKARA, Turkey — Turkey encouraged Syria on Wednesday to think of ways to revive the stalled peace talks with Israel, but the Syrian president said Israel does not appear to be a partner in the process. Syrian President Bashar Assad sat down with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul to consider how to restart the talks.
Iraq says talks with Syria over recent spate of bombings have failed over extradition demandSeptember 16th, 2009 Iraqi official: Talks with Syria over attacks failBAGHDAD, Iraq — Talks between Iraq and Syria over Iraqi charges that Damascus is harboring militants involved in deadly bombings in Baghdad have failed and will not be repeated, the Iraqi government spokesman said on Wednesday. The talks in Ankara, Turkey, aimed at easing tensions between the two neighbors collapsed after Syria refused to accept a list of people Iraq wants extradited for their alleged involvement in a recent spate of bombings, including an Aug.
Iraq, Syria trade accusations in failed talks to resolve dispute over militantsSeptember 9th, 2009 Stormy Iraq-Syria talks on militants issueCAIRO — The foreign ministers of Iraq and Syria had a heated exchange, trading accusations Wednesday in a failed attempt to resolve a deepening split over Iraqi claims that Syria is harboring Sunni militants behind a recent flareup in violence. The Iraqi government says Syria-based loyalists of ousted leader Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida fighters were behind a bomb attack in Baghdad last month that killed more than 100 people.
Syria, Iraq accuse each other of worsening tension following deadly Baghdad attacksAugust 31st, 2009 Syria, Iraq accuse each other of worsening tensionBAGHDAD — Syria rejected Iraqi allegations that it has been used as a launching pad for violence in Iraq, while Iraq's foreign minister insisted Monday that Damascus turn over suspected insurgent operatives and warned failure to do so would be considered "unfriendly."
The tension, which was sparked by deadly suicide attacks on government ministries in Baghdad less than two weeks ago, threatens to set back efforts to persuade Damascus to help Iraq. It could also complicate the Obama administration's recent attempts to improve relations with Syria.
Syrian president rejects Iraqi accusations that Syria is launching pad for Iraq attacksAugust 31st, 2009 Syria leader rejects Iraq claim of aiding violenceDAMASCUS, Syria — Syria's president on Monday dismissed Iraqi accusations that his country has been used as a launching pad for violence in Iraq, calling the allegations "immoral" and politically motivated. Iraq and Syria are entangled in a diplomatic dispute over demands that Damascus extradite two suspects wanted in recent suicide attacks on government ministries in Baghdad that killed about 100 people.
Iraqi prime minister steps up pressure on Syria to hand over bombing suspectsAugust 26th, 2009 Iraqi PM steps up pressure on Syria over militantsBAGHDAD — Iraq's prime minister on Wednesday stepped up pressure on Syria to hand over two suspects wanted in recent suicide attacks on government ministries in Baghdad. The rising tension between Iraq and Syria, which led both countries to recall their ambassadors Tuesday, comes a week after blasts tore through the foreign, finance and defense ministries, killing more than 100 people and weakening confidence in the state's security forces.
Iraqi prime minister asks Syria to hand over people accused of insurgent linksAugust 18th, 2009 Iraqi leader wants Syria to hand over suspectsBAGHDAD — Iraq's prime minister is asking Syrian officials to hand over people suspected of links to insurgent attacks in his country and to stop fighters from crossing its border into northern Iraq, one of his advisers said Tuesday. Nouri al-Maliki was pressing the request in talks with Syrian officials in Damascus, as Iraq seeks to improve security cooperation with its neighbor and cut off the flow of weapons and foreign fighters to remaining insurgent strongholds like Mosul, 225 miles (360 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad.
US delegation in Syria for talksAugust 12th, 2009 DAMASCUS - A US military and political delegation arrived in Syria Wednesday for talks on the situation in Iraq and security in the region, two weeks after US Middle East special envoy George Mitchell's last visit to Damascus. The six-member delegation, headed by Mitchell's assistant Frederic Hof and Michael Moeller of the US Central Command, discussed border security between Syria and Iraq and curbing the crossing of foreign fighters into Iraq.
Iraqi government spokesman says it's not up to US to negotiate Iraq's security with SyriaAugust 12th, 2009 Iraqi PM to visit Syria for security talksBAGHDAD — The Iraqi government insisted that it's not up to the United States to negotiate over Iraq's security with Syria as a delegation from the Obama administration arrived Wednesday in Damascus. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will make his own trip to Syria next week to discuss security, the government said, calling the issue an internal Iraqi affair.
US Middle East envoy Mitchell heading to Syria to press US effort for cooperationJuly 23rd, 2009 US Middle East envoy Mitchell heading to SyriaWASHINGTON — The State Department says the Obama administration's special Middle East envoy is heading to Syria. State Department spokesman P.J.
Treasury imposes financial sanctions on al-Qaida in Iraq operative based in SyriaMay 14th, 2009 Treasury targets al-Qaida in Iraq operativeWASHINGTON — The Obama administration moved Thursday to clamp down financially on the Syria-based leader of al-Qaida in Iraq. The Treasury Department's action against Abu Khalaf means that any bank accounts or other financial assets found in the United States that belong to him must be frozen.
Obama maintains US sanctions against SyriaMay 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama has ordered the continuation of sanctions imposed in 2004 aginst Syria, telling Congress that Damascus still supports terrorist groups and is seeking weapons of mass destruction and has impeded progress in Iraq. Obama's decision keeps a series of diplomatic and financial sanctions alive for at least one more year and comes despite the new administration's efforts to improve relations with Syria.
White House renewing sanctions on Syria while pushing ahead with effort to improve relationsMay 9th, 2009 Obama renewing sanctions on Syria to mark concernsWASHINGTON — The Obama administration is renewing economic and diplomatic sanctions on Syria, even as two U.S. envoys are in the Syrian capital exploring prospects for improved relations.
Israel's Lieberman: Willing to talk peace with Syria, but without preconditionsApril 26th, 2009 Israel: No preconditions to talks with SyriaJERUSALEM — Israel's foreign minister said Sunday that he was willing to sit down immediately with Syria to talk peace if there would be no preconditions, just days after saying that Damascus was not a partner for peace. Syria recently said it would be willing to resume indirect peace talks with the new Israeli government as long as they focused on a complete withdrawal from the Golan Heights.
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