Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam, a member of the Interim Governing Council in Iraq, met with Iyad Allawi, the Secretary General of the National Accord Movement. This meeting signifies the initial step towards the Transitional Council, which Damascus has declined to recognize, while expressing willingness to engage with its members and the formed government. However, no initial contact was established with the Council’s President, Ahmed Chalabi. Official sources quoted Khaddam as emphasizing his country’s commitment to fostering fraternal relations, restoring Iraq’s Arab and international influence, and ending the occupation. Khaddam also highlighted that Allawi emphasized “the significance of cooperation between the two brotherly nations and Syria’s support for the people of Iraq in overcoming their hardships.”