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Pencilneck, Mookie meet
BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Saturday that his country fully backs the formation of a strong Iraqi government as soon as possible, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

“President Assad reviewed today (July 17) with Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr, who is currently on a visit to Damascus, recent developments in the Iraqi arena, namely the formation of an Iraqi government,” SANA said.

The Syrian leader expressed hope a unified stand would be reached soon among the Iraqi political powers to form a national government to bring about security and stability to the war-torn nation.

The meeting between Assad and Sadr also deal with fraternal ties binding the two countries’ peoples. Sadr expressed the Iraqis’ appreciation of the stances adopted by Syria that has kept an open door for Iraqi citizens since the beginning of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Sadr had arrived in Damascus on Saturday morning for a visit to Syria upon the invitation of President Assad.
Posted by: Steve White 2010-07-18
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=301267