Iraqi PM meets Syria's Muallem over anti-IS fighting

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Thursday met with the visiting Syrian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem and discussed the war against the Islamic State (IS) militants and the security of the border areas between the two countries.

Abadi received Muallem in his office and the two discussed "means to boost bilateral ties and the war against the IS as an enemy to both countries, the region and the world," a statement of his office said.

Abadi also discussed with Muallem and his accompanying delegation means to secure the border areas between the two countries, especially after the Iraqi security forces came closer toward the border line after the recent victories against the IS militants in Iraq's western province of Anbar, according to the statement.

During his visit, Muallem held meetings with Iraqi President Fuad Masoum and Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari.

After meeting with Jaafari, Muallem said at a joint press conference that "Iraq and Syria are defending themselves, and are fighting on behalf of the world countries, because terror will not stop in a country or a society but is trying to prevail in the whole world."

"There is nothing that would stop cooperation between us (Iraq and Syria), which would extend wherever there is a need," Jaafari told reporters.

For his part, Muallem said "we are standing with Iraq at one trench, and we are defending our people against hateful Takfiri terrorism."

Muallem also stressed on the willingness of the two countries on deepening cooperation on different fields.

Earlier in the day, Muallem arrived in Baghdad with the aim of holding meetings with Iraqi top officials to discuss bilateral ties and the latest developments in the region, according to the state-run Iraqiya channel.

Iraq's Shiite-dominated government has maintained close ties with the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad. Endit