Iraq and Syria leaders meet in Damascus to discuss refugees and sanctions issues

Middle East, News July 17, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani arrived in Damascus on July 16, 2023, with a high-level delegation to hold talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on his first trip to the country since the Syrian civil started 12 years ago.

Al-Sudani was welcomed by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at the presidential palace in Damascus where the two leaders held talks regarding ongoing fighting, cross-border drug trafficking, the return of Syrian refugees, and the imperative of lifting punitive Western sanctions imposed on Syria.

Despite the Syrian civil war, Damascus and Baghdad have kept close diplomatic relations even after many Arab countries severed their diplomatic relations with Syria and Damascus lost its membership in the Arab League in 2011. Al-Sudani’s two-day visit is the latest indicator that surrounding countries are leaving behind the policy of isolation aimed at the Assad regime in Damascus.

Syria is now struggling to control its border, with the trade flourishing during the 12 years of deadly civil war, the flow of unwanted substances and drugs has also increased through Syrian borders. The country is considered a producing hub for Amphetamine Captagon, an addictive, amphetamine-type stimulant that is mass-produced in Syria and smuggled to the Gulf states. The drug became a key topic in discussions over Syria’s re-entry to the Arab League.

*^{Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (L) with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on July 16, 2023. (Image Credit: Twitter)}*

While speaking alongside Assad during a post-meeting joint press conference, Al-Sudani said, “We need more coordination at the level of security agencies, particularly in the border areas.” In reference to efforts to lift Western sanctions on Damascus the Iraqi prime minister said that “We are seeking to redress the Syrian economy and find solutions to the consequences of the war.”

The Iraqi prime minister stressed that “We are interested in working through official and government channels to solve the issue of refugees and guarantee a safe return for them as soon as the situation becomes stable in places where they reside.” More than 250,000 Syrian refugees currently live in Iraq.

The two countries share a 600 kilometers long border where Iraq enjoys a significant influence. In June 2014, the ISIS armed group declared the establishment of a self-styled caliphate in wide areas under its control in Iraq and Syria. Baghdad and Damascus, along with Shi’ite armed groups backed by Iran, cooperated in the fight against Islamic State. The group was eventually defeated in Iraq in 2017 and Syria in 2019 and is no longer controlling any territory. However, members of the terrorist group living in the area still carry out frequent deadly attacks. “We are facing several challenges, first and foremost, that of terrorism,” said Assad during the press conference.

During his visit, the Iraqi prime minister also discussed ways to combat drought conditions in both countries caused by a reduction in rainfall, climate change, and upstream damming by Turkey. “We need to cooperate to get our fair share of water,” he said.