Syria supports settlement for security in Iraq

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Syria wants a political settlement that would end the violence and restore security , according to a statement published Sunday by several Syria newspapers. The statement, that the state-daily Tishreen and others said was read out by Syrian Foreign Ministry official Ahmed Arnous at the conference in Iran Saturday said Syria was in favor of holding an Iraqi national reconciliation conference to help stop the bloodshed. The statement said Syria also wanted a timetable for the withdrawal of US troops from the country and considers attacks on Iraqi citizens and institutions to be terrorist acts. "Syria supports Iraq and its people from all sects and denounces the targeting of its citizens and national institutions which it considers to be terrorist acts," the statement said. "Syria also supports a political settlement that would restore peace and stability in Iraq," it added.