Iraq's Nouri al-Maliki came to Syria on Monday on his first visit here as prime minister. The three-day sojourn by the Iraqi leader is expected to focus on the sensitive border issues. Last week, al-Maliki went to Turkey and Iran, and said he would continue traveling to other countries to seek help in stemming the violence that has ravaged Iraq. Syria's official news agency SANA said that al-Maliki talks here would deal with the current security and political situation in Iraq, as well as economic cooperation between the two countries. Al-Maliki was accompanied on the trip by a high-level Iraqi delegation, including ministers of interior, trade, oil and water resources. He is expected to hold talks with Syrian leaders, including President Bashar Assad, his deputy Farouk Sharaa and al-Maliki's Syrian counterpart Naji Ottri. «This visit is to implement the government's policy that depends on the basis of security, economic and political relations with the neighboring countries and ways to enhance these relations,» al-Maliki told reporters accompanying him on the trip. «We will discuss the serious security file and its challenges, which concern not only Iraq but the whole region,» al-Maliki said. «We will discuss the Iraqi community and immigrants in Syria and the ways to provide them with services.» Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani, who accompanied al-Maliki to Damascus, said that Baghdad was ready to reopen a crude oil pipeline that passes through Syria if the Iraqi-Syria border is made safe. Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani told The Associated Press that Iraq and Syria have signed a note pledging to exchange information. Also, Syria has handed over 13 suspects sought by Baghdad, he said, but did not provide details about the suspects.
