At Dubai summit, Syrian FM expresses interest in Baghdad visit
On his second trip to the United Arab Emirates since assuming his role, new Syria Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani stressed the need for good neighborly relations, lifting of sanctions and guaranteed rights for minorities in the country.
DUBAI — Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said he would be open to visiting Iraq and called for the lifting of all international sanctions as the new government looks to rebuild regional ties and develop the country's war-ravaged economy.
"When it comes to our relationship with any country, it's based on sovereignty and it's always going to be based on mutual respect," Shaibani said at the World Government Summit in Dubai.
"We've received an invitation to visit Baghdad and I'd be honored to do that very soon," he added.
Relations between Baghdad and Damascus are sensitive as Iraqi militias were influential in backing Iran's efforts to prop up the regime of Bashar al-Assad. Iraqi fighters entered Syria in early December to assist the Assad regime in countering the rebel offensive led by former al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, stating that they were there to protect religious sites in the country. Following the fall of the regime, most of those Iraqi militias have returned home and some Syrian soldiers loyal to Assad have fled to Iraq.
