Damascus calls for Arab solidarity

CAIRO, Sept. 11 (UPI) -- The Arab community should move in solidarity to address regional challenges and multilateral disputes, the Syrian foreign minister said in Cairo.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem spoke on the broad challenges facing the Arab community during his address to the regular session of the Arab League in Cairo.

Moallem said he offered his statements during a time when the situation for members of the Arab community was not as he or Damascus would like.

He said the challenges and risks facing the Arab community are many, adding, "We have to confront them by closing the ranks and activating Arab joint action."

He went on to thank Washington for its willingness to engage in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, but stressed peace requires an end to Israeli settlements and the "siege" on the Palestinian people, the officials Syrian Arab News Agency reports.

On Iraq, Moallem reaffirmed his position that Damascus pledged its "full support" for its eastern neighbor, adding Iraqi security was part of Syrian security.

Relations between Baghdad and Damascus were strained in the aftermath of a string of bombings in Iraq on Aug. 19, which Baghdad blames on Baath loyalists exiled in Syria.

"Those developments are very regrettable and serve neither the interests of Iraq nor Syria's," he said.