WELL, WELL, PROGRESS...

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraq has announced it was restoring full diplomatic relations with Syria after a 26-year break and hailed a pledge from its western neighbour to do more to cooperate on security.

"We have signed a little while ago an agreement to restore complete diplomatic relations with Syria," Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told a joint news conference with his visiting Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem on Tuesday.

"(The) Iraqi flag will be raised in Syria and the Syrian flag will be hoisted in Baghdad," Zebari said.

The Iraqi minister said agreement had also been reached on closer security cooperation following repeated US accusations that Syria was turning a blind eye to Sunni Arab insurgents smuggling men and materiel across the border

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