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Iraq's Talabani to visit Damascus Iraq's Talabani arrives in Syria
(about 10 hours later)
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani is travelling to Syria for the highest level Iraqi visit in many years. Jalal Talabani has arrived for talks in Syria, becoming the first Iraqi president to pay an official visit to the country in nearly 30 years.
It comes after US President George W Bush accused both Syria and Iran of fuelling Iraq's violence as he announced his new strategy for Iraq. Mr Talabani immediately went into talks with President Bashar al-Assad at the presidential palace.
The US says Syria allows militants to enter Iraq, but Damascus says it is doing all it can to secure its border. The countries restored ties in November after a break of more than 20 years.
Diplomatic relations between Iraq and Syria were restored last November after a break of more than 20 years. The visit comes days after US President George W Bush accused both Syria and Iran of fuelling Iraq's violence as he announced his new strategy for Iraq.
This visit by President Talabani demonstrates Iraq's balancing act between the United States and a country that Washington prefers to see isolated. The US says Syria allows militants to enter Iraq. Damascus denies the accusation, saying it is doing all it can to secure its border.
BBC world affairs correspondent Mike Wooldridge says Mr Talabani's visit demonstrates Iraq's balancing act between the US and a country Washington prefers to see isolated.
Mr Talabani lived in exile in Syria during the Saddam Hussein era.
Border securityBorder security
But between Iraq and Syria, there was also a long period of hostility, going back to the days when the two countries were ruled by competing branches of the Arab nationalist Baath Party. Mr Talabani's office said on Friday the two presidents would sign a number of agreements on security and trade.
Syria accused Saddam Hussein's Iraq of inciting riots. But our correspondent says the real question will be how far the visit will be used to discuss US and Iraqi government concerns about insurgents crossing between Syria and Iraq.
Diplomatic relations were restored just recently, and President Talabani's visit is intended to build on this. In his speech on his new Iraq strategy, Mr Bush pledged to cut Iranian and Syrian support for "terrorists".
He was in exile in Syria during the Saddam Hussein era. "We will interrupt the flow of support from Iran and Syria. And we will seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies in Iraq," Mr Bush said.
But beyond the expected signing of agreements, the question is how far the visit will be used to discuss American and Iraqi government concerns about insurgents crossing between Syria and Iraq. The White House later played down "rumours" of military action against Syria or Iran.
Syria has long said it does all it can to patrol the border. Syria insisted on Friday it was co-operating in "securing and stabilising the situation in Iraq".
Damascus and Baghdad witnessed a long period of hostility following Syria's support for Iran during the Iran-Iraq war.
Mr Talabani, a veteran Kurdish politician, has been noticeably warmer towards Syria than Iraqi Shia Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, analysts say.