Syria Today | Syrian-Iraqi Relations: With Friends Like These……

Syrian-Iraqi Relations: With Friends Like These……

By Jambulat Shikay
Photo Fadi al-Hamwi

Since the US-led invasion of Iraq and the implementation of a so-called democracy – a democracy where political parties and blocs compete via armed militias rather than the ballot or development process – Iraqis have struggled to build a country that embraces all religious sects and political groups. Iraq has become an arena in which regional and Western intelligence bodies do battle and wreak havoc in ways which serve their interests. As such, Iraq’s relations with its neighbours, including Syria, must always be looked at through this prism.

At the same time, however, it has always been in Syria’s interests to see the establishment of a strong and stable government in Iraq. This, Syria recognises, is the only way to bring an end to the US occupation it has always opposed. When US President Barack Obama arrived in the White House at the beginning of the year pledging to withdraw US troops from Iraq, Damascus began focusing on how to make the Iraqi political process as stable as possible.

For Syria, one of the most important steps in this process is ensuring exiled former Saddam-era Ba’athists are incorporated into the political process. Firm in the belief that by excluding the Ba’athists from the Iraqi political process the country will continue to face security threats, Syria worked in collaboration with Turkey to open channels of communication between the exiled group and Washington. The Ba’athists were a topic of discussion during the Damascus visit of US Special Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell and also arose during talks between Syrian officials and US military advisors.

In its efforts to consolidate the Iraqi political process, Syria continued to bolster its relations with the Iraqi government. In the first half of the year, several meetings on economic cooperation and border security were held between officials from both countries. The high point came when Prime Minister Muhammad Naji Otri visited Baghdad in April to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. During the visit, the two countries agreed to start repairs on the joint Kirkuk-Banias oil pipeline and also signed an agreement on strategic cooperation. This agreement has the potential to be hugely beneficial to both countries and significantly boost bilateral trade.

The string of bomb blasts targeting Baghdad’s foreign and finance ministries last August, however, bought the rapid improvement in Syrian-Iraqi relations to an immediate standstill. Maliki pointed his finger in Syria’s direction, claiming the country had helped facilitate the attacks by providing asylum to two outlawed Iraqi Ba’athists he accused of masterminding the bombings. Maliki asked for them to be handed over. Syria asked for credible evidence. The dispute escalated to the point where both countries withdrew their ambassadors.

Maliki’s persistence at pursuing the accusations convinced many in Damascus that they were politically motivated. With Iraq’s national elections fast approaching in January 2010, and a deteriorating security situation on his hands, it was widely believed that Maliki was trying to shore up support by blaming Damascus. This approach is more advantageous for Maliki than admitting his security policies have failed. His accusations also serve as a justification for keeping the Ba’athists, whose past experience governing Iraq threaten his support base, excluded from the country’s political process.

Having kept its borders open to thousands of refugees fleeing the violence in Iraq, Syria views Maliki’s accusations as a huge stab in the back. According to recent media reports which quote a high-ranking Syrian official, Damascus has decided it will not return its ambassador to Baghdad until Maliki’s government has been replaced. This statement perhaps summarises Syria’s new position towards its eastern neighbour; Damascus will keep its political relations with Baghdad frozen until the conclusion of Iraq’s national elections and the formation of a new government, one which Maliki is unlikely to lead.

Jambulat Shikay is the editor of Al Watan’s politics section and specialises in Iraqi affairs.