Zebari gives assurances to Syria

DAMASCUS, Syria, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- The Iraqi foreign minister said in Damascus that U.S. military forces in Iraq would not be permitted to use the country for offensive attacks.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari met with his Syrian counterpart, Walid al-Moallem, to discuss bilateral relations two weeks after U.S. forces launched counter-terrorism operations from Iraq into Syria.

Zebari assured his Syrian colleague U.S. forces would not be permitted to stage offensive attacks against Iraq's neighbors under the Status of Forces Agreement set to replace the expiring U.N. mandate for Iraq, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported Wednesday.

"Iraq will not be a base for any offensive acts against any of the neighboring countries under any circumstances," Zebari said.

Moallem re-emphasized his country's opposition to what Damascus sees as an act of U.S. aggression. Damascus claimed the U.S. military killed eight civilians during the Oct. 26 raid in pursuit of top al-Qaida operatives.

The Syrian minister, however, expressed his support for Iraqi security as well as his country's support for national reconciliation.