London - Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari affirmed that the relations between Syria and Iraq are good and advanced, adding that the two countries are formulating a strategic agreement between them.
In an interview with the London-based al-Hayat newspaper, Minister Zebari called on the neighboring countries to cooperate with Iraq in this decisive, transitional stage, during which the US forces will exit Iraq and legislative elections will be held.
He stressed that relations among neighboring countries cannot be bolstered without a network of economic relations, pointing out that the Iraqi government has decided to establish an oil pipeline between the Iraqi city of Kerkuk and the Syrian port city of Banyas or fix the exiting pipeline and extend it to reach Jordan and Lebanon.
Mr. Zebari pointed out that another project involves connecting the Akas natural gas field to the Syrian natural gas network, noting that the EU financed a study on how to benefit from this field, adding that there is another EU pipeline that aims to benefit from the natural gas resources in the region, both of which are strategic projects that will benefit both Syria and Iraq.
He also underlined the positive results of the visit of Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Naji Otri to Baghdad in April and the agreements signed between the two countries, stressing the need to implement them, adding that there are a number of memos of understanding that are being supervised by a higher ministerial committee.
By H. Sabbagh / A. N. Idelbi
© SANA (Syria Arab News Agency) 2009
