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BAGHDAD - Syria's Foreign Minister offered Iraq's Government support against militants in a visit to Baghdad.
The visit occurred as a junior minister from Prime Minister Nouri Maliki's party, Ammar al-Saffar, was seized from his home by men in uniform, one of the most senior figures to fall victim to Baghdad's kidnapping frenzy.
Talk is growing in Washington that President George W. Bush may approach its regional adversaries Syria and Iran for help. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani is expected to lead a delegation to Tehran shortly.
On the first trip by a Syrian minister since Saddam Hussein was overthrown and a rare visit by any senior Sunni Arab official, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem stressed he was not coming to please foreign powers and repeated Damascus' position that US forces should go.
"We support the elected Government and national reconciliation ... We support the unity of Iraq and think that a timetable for pulling out US occupation forces from Iraq will reduce violence."
- REUTERS
