Syria

Syrian foreign minister visits Baghdad

Syrian foreign minister visits BaghdadBaghdad  - Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallim arrived in the Iraqi capital on Wednesday, the latest in a series of diplomatic visits to the country following US pledges to withdraw its troops.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki welcomed al-Muallim at the airport ahead of talks on issues of "mutual and regional importance", Syria's official SANA news agency reported Wednesday.

Lebanon welcomes appointment of Syrian ambassador

Lebanon And SyriaBeirut  - Lebanon welcomed late Tuesday the appointment of a new Syrian ambassador to Lebanon.

Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh said the ambassador, Ali Abdel Karim Ali, would arrive in Beirut after leaving his current post in Kuwait.

"Lebanon welcomes the new Syrian ambassador Ali Abdel Karim Ali anytime in Beirut to assume his duties," Salloukh said in an interview with the Lebanese Markaziya news agency. He did not disclose when the appointment was made, but said Lebanon's approval had been sent to Damascus.

Syria's President al-Assad to visit Jordan Friday

Syria's President al-Assad to visit Jordan Friday Amman  - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is to visit Jordan on Friday as part of ongoing efforts to repair pan-Arab ties which received a deep blow during the recent Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, the royal court announced Thursday.

Discussions between al-Assad and Jordan's King Abdullah II would focus on "ongoing efforts aimed at working out a unified Arab stand versus common challenges," the royal court said in a statement.

Europeans queue to meet Hamas

Europeans queue to meet HamasDamascus - A delegation of Damascus-based politicians from the radical Hamas group is planning a European tour, a senior Hamas leader said Wednesday, in a further sign of shifting European attitudes towards the group.

Ali Baraka, a senior Hamas politician based in Damascus, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that several European countries had extended invitations to the group, and that the delegation planned to accept them.

Baraka declined to name the countries or the exact dates of the visit, "for fear Israel would erect obstacles to prevent their happening."

Lebanon opens embassy in Damascus for the first time

Lebanon opens embassy in Damascus for the first time Damascus/Beirut - Lebanon on Monday opened an embassy in neighbouring Syria for the first time ever in a step toward normalizing relations.

The move comes after the two countries agreed earlier this year to establish diplomatic ties for the first time since both gained independence from France in 1943.

Lebanese Charge d'Affaires Rami Murtada raised the flag over the embassy headquarters in Abu Rummaneh neighborhood in Damascus.

Syria launches its first stock exchange

Syria launches its first stock exchangeNicosia, Mar. 11 : After three years of delays and at the time of a world-wide financial crisis, Syria launched its first stock exchange on Tuesday in an effort to liberalise the country''s largely state-controlled economy and provide a measure of freedom to the private firms.

Pages