Mourners carry the coffin of a victim killed in a bomb attack outside his house, during a funeral in Baghdad Monday (Reuters photo)
Agencies
Syria's first ambassador to Iraq in 26 years took up his post in Baghdad on Monday, marking the official end of more than two decades of frosty relations, the government said.
Nawaf Fares, who was the governor of Quneitra in the Golan Heights, presented his credentials in Baghdad Monday, a statement from the foreign ministry said.
Fares' appointment will "enhance relations with Syria and take us to a new phase of cooperation and coordination in the interest of both countries," it said.
He is the first Syrian ambassador to Baghdad in almost three decades due to rivalry between the opposing wings of the Baath Party which rules Syria and held power in Saddam's Iraq.
Syria and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in November 2006, ending 24 years of animosity after Damascus accused Baghdad of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood in anti-government riots in 1982.
Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates have all named ambassadors in the past month, although due to security concerns the only other Arab ambassador actually posted in Baghdad is the Emirati....
Iraq says British troops should leave (click here)
By Basil Adas, CorrespondentPublished: October 13, 2008, 08:39
Baghdad: Iraq's prime minister said the 4,100 British troops in southern Iraq are no longer necessary to provide security, a newspaper reported on Monday.
Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki told The Times of London that there may be a need for a few British troops to remain for training and technical issues. But as a fighting force, Al Maliki said the British were no longer needed.
"There might be a need for their expertise in training and some technical issues, yes, but as a fighting force, I do not think it is necessary," he said. His comments were in line with an August report that most of Britain's contingent in Iraq would be withdrawn over the next nine months, leaving only a few hundred soldiers there....
Iraq
Turkey says no need for buffer zone inside Iraq (click here)
AgenciesPublished: October 13, 2008, 16:52
Ankara: Turkey has no need at present to set up a buffer zone in northern Iraq to halt cross--border raids by Kurdish guerrillas, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday.
His statment came in response to opposition calls for such a move. Turkish opposition nationalist parties and retired generals have been floating the idea of setting up a buffer zone for at least two years, but have stepped up calls since the latest attacks in which 17 soldiers were killed.
Erdogan's comments follow a warning from a senior Iraqi Kurdish official against Turkey stationing troops inside Iraq, saying it would not stop attacks by Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebels....
Iraq official warns Turkey over barrier (click here)
AgenciesPublished: October 10, 2008, 00:27
Ankara: A senior Iraqi Kurdish official warned Turkey on Thursday against stationing troops inside Iraq and said such a move would not stop cross-border raids by Kurdish guerrillas.
New attacks on Turkish security forces by Kurd-istan Workers Party (PKK) rebels based in Iraq have strained ties between Baghdad and Ankara, which accuses its neighbour of not doing enough to combat the separatists....
