Syria and Iraq are expected to restore diplomatic relations after a gap of 20 years.  

Hassan al-Alawi, a senior official at the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, has had talks with Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara about the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiar Zibari also said on Monday in Cairo that Syria had agreed to restore full diplomatic ties with Baghdad.

Relations between the two countries were severed in 1980 largely because of Syria's support for Iran during the Iran-Iraq war.

(CRI.com November 9, 2004)