Iraqi premier makes rare visit to Syria amid Arab normalisation

The South China Morning Post carries an article about a rare visit of the Iraqi premier to Syria amid Arab normalisation. Caliber.Az reprints the article.

Mohammed Shia al-Sudani met Bashar al-Assad, who said the visit would mark a ‘practical leap’ in ties between the countries.

The official visit was the first by an Iraqi premier to war-torn Syria in more than a decade.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani visited neighbouring Syria on Sunday, marking a growing Arab normalisation with the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The official visit was the first by an Iraqi premier to war-torn Syria in more than a decade.

Al-Sudani met al-Assad, who said the visit would mark a “practical leap” in ties between the two countries.

In mid-2014, the Islamic State extremist organisation overran large swathes of northern Iraq. Soon thereafter, the hardline jihadists proclaimed a caliphate, which also included the regions they controlled in Syria.

But even though the militant group later lost its territory, it remains active in both Syria and Iraq.

The Iraqi prime minister said on Sunday security remains a main concern for the two countries.

“We need more coordination at the level of security agencies, particularly in the border areas,” he said at a joint press conference with al-Assad in Damascus.

He added that Baghdad’s support for the Syrian government to bring all of the country under its rule primarily matters for Iraq’s security.

Iraq was a catalyst for Syria’s return to the Arab fold.

In May, Syria was readmitted into the Arab League, after it was expelled from the 22-member organisation in 2011 over the al-Assad government’s ruthless crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising that evolved into a civil war.

Al-Assad on Sunday praised Iraq for what he called its “strong rejection of all forms of aggression” on Syria.

He added they had also discussed cooperation against cross-border drug smuggling.

Syria is seen as a hub for the trafficking of the highly addictive Captagon.