Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam, a member of the “Interim Governing Council in Iraq,” met with Iyad Allawi, Secretary General of the “National Accord Movement.” The meeting marks the initial phase towards the Transitional Council, which Damascus declined to acknowledge, although it is willing to engage with its members and members of the established government. No initial contact was established with the President of the “Council,” Ahmed Chalabi. Official sources quoted Khaddam as expressing his country’s commitment to fraternal relations, the restoration of Iraq’s Arab and international role, and the cessation of occupation. Khaddam also highlighted that Allawi emphasized “the significance of cooperation between the two fraternal countries and Syria’s support for the Iraqi people in overcoming their hardships.”