November 17, 2003	Monday	Ramazan 21, 1424

DAMASCUS, Nov 16: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Sunday that Damascus wanted to help Iraq establish a “national government”, following a meeting with more than 160 Iraqi tribal representatives, state media reported.

“Syria wants to make every effort to diminish the sufferings of the Iraqi people and help strengthen their unity in order to establish a national government representing all groups,” Assad was quoted as saying by the official SANA news agency.

“Syria wants to help the Iraqi people bring stability and security to the country and recover their sovereignty,” Assad added the day after Baghdad announced that elections will be held in Iraq before end-2005.

The tribal delegation used the meeting to inform the Syrian president of the “sufferings endured by the Iraqi people under occupation,” SANA reported.—AFP