Resumption Of Relations For Iraq, Syria

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The foreign ministers of Iraq and Syria formally announced the resumption of diplomatic relations yesterday, with pledges to strengthen communication and security between the two neighbors.

Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari of Iraq and Foreign Minister Walid Moallem of Syria said they will re-establish embassies in Baghdad and Damascus, after a warm meeting between the two senior officials at Iraq's Foreign Ministry.

Mr. Moallem said Syria would back off from its demand that American troops withdraw from Iraq immediately, in recognition of the fact that they are deployed in the country with the permission of the current government.

Mr. Zebari said future discussions between Baghdad and Damascus will focus on the readiness of the Iraqi army to resume control of its security.

In the meantime Mr. Moallem said Syria will work to improve security and negotiate with Iraqi dissenters based in his country.

Syria is a main refuge and entry point for Sunni Arab militants.

The diplomats also announced that Iraqi President Talabani will visit Tehran on Sunday and Damascus shortly thereafter to discuss President Ahmadinejad's offer of a three-way summit among the neighboring states.

"We focused on the concerns and worries of Iraq and decided that improving communication is the best way to coordinate shared security concerns," Mr. Zebari said. "There will be special task forces to set up diplomatic relations between us, and there will be frequent meetings with Syrian security officials."

Asked whether Syria would be able to convince Iraqi militants to lay down their arms, Mr. Moallem was sanguine.

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink," he said.

The diplomatic developments came against a backdrop of continuing violence in Iraq.

Authorities announced the discovery of 26 corpses around the capital, most of them scarred by torture and gunfire.

In Baghdad, gunmen assassinated an assistant general manager for the Health Ministry, Saad Khraibit Rashid, and a bomb aboard a minibus killed one person and injured 10 others.

The American military announced that American troops killed three suspected insurgents during a raid in the capital yesterday.