Iraq says it wants to mend relations with Damascus that soured over Baghdad bombings

Iraq wants to improve relations with Syria

DAMASCUS, Syria — Visiting Syria, Iraq’s vice president said Tuesday his country wants to improve relations, months after Iraq charged Damascus with harboring suspects from huge Baghdad bombings last summer that killed about 100 people.

Tariq al-Hashemi is the first senior Iraqi official to visit Damascus since massive truck bombs devastated the Iraqi foreign and finance ministries Aug. 19.

Altogether, 101 people died in blasts that day, all but eight in or near the government buildings.

The attacks seriously damaged Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s efforts to assure Iraqis that the U.S.-trained Iraqi security forces would be able to maintain stability in the country after a U.S. troop pullout.

After Iraq blamed Syria, Damascus countered that the allegations were politically motivated, demanding proof.

The two countries recalled their ambassadors, and the dispute escalated into a serious setback to efforts at repairing relationships strained for decades during Saddam Hussein’s rule in Iraq.

Al-Hashemi, who met with the Syrian President Bashar Assad, said his visit aimed to discuss ways of overcoming “disagreements among members of one family.”

After meeting with his Syrian counterpart, Farouk al-Sharaa, he told reporters that he discussed Iraq’s wish to normalize relations.

“That (wish) was met by a good response” from the Syrian leadership, he said.

Al-Hashemi also discussed with Syrian officials upcoming parliamentary elections in Iraq and was scheduled to meet with Iraqis in Syria. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis took refuge in Syria after fleeing violence at home.