LONDON Ñ Iran and Syria have launched another round of their
strategic dialogue that will cover both regional threats as well as defense
and military cooperation.
The request for the strategic dialogue came from Syrian Vice President
Abdul Halim Khaddam, the London-based Al Hayat daily said quoting Iranian sources. Syria is
said to have been increasingly concerned by the tension along the
Israeli-Lebanese border as well as the virtual blockade by the U.S. Navy of
Syrian ports.
Western diplomatic sources said Iran has been concerned by Syria's growing
alliance with Iraq. The sources said Iran regards the Iraqi imports of more
than 200,000 barrels of oil a day as a means to cement a relationship
between Baghdad and Damascus that could overshadow 20 years of Syrian
relations with Iran.
Western intelligence sources said Iran and Syria cooperate in both the
development of ballistic missiles as well as weapons of mass destruction.
They said the two countries have completed a facility for the production of
Scud-class missiles.
The newspaper reported on Wednesday that the dialogue
began in Damascus during the current visit by Iranian Vice President
Mohammed Rada Aaref. The newspaper said Aaref will relay a letter from
Iranian President Mohammed Khatami to Syrian President Bashar Assad that
will express Teheran's eagerness to bolster bilateral relations and discuss
regional and international developments.
Khaddam is expected to visit Teheran next month to pursue the strategic
dialogue. The military commanders of Iran and Syria have been meeting
frequently over the last few months.
The strategic dialogue will end on Friday. The two countries have also
been expanding their economic and industrial cooperation with the
establishment of 11 committees. Bilateral trade in 2001 was reported at more
than $160 million. Syrian tourism to Iran rose by 50 percent to 300,000
people during last year.
