Iraq PM on first visit to US foe Syria

DAMASCUS (AFP) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki arrived in Syria on Monday for talks on trade, security and refugees on his first trip to the US foe since taking office early last year.

The beleaguered premier's visit follows a trip earlier this month to Syria's main regional ally Iran, countries both accused by the United States of stoking the deadly violence engulfing Iraq.

Syria and Iraq only restored diplomatic ties last November, 26 years after they were broken under the ousted regime of Saddam Hussein over Syria's support for Iran in its eight-year war with Iraq.

It is Maliki's first visit to Syria since he became premier early last year, although he was based in Damascus in the 1990s when in exile during Saddam's rule. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, another formerly Damascus-based exile, visited in January.

Maliki, who is accompanied on the three-day visit by his ministers of oil, trade, the interior and water resources, will meet President Bashar al-Assad, Vice President Faruq al-Shara and Foreign Minister Walid Muallem.

Talks will focus on reactivating commercial agreements that pre-date the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, the reopening of an oil pipeline between the two countries, and security issues.