Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal said during his visit to Paris that the disputes in the Arab world were part of the past.

The London daily Al-Hayat reported that Al-Faisal had noted that the Saudi-Syria disputes were over Lebanon, but that the situation in that country had improved greatly and Syria had made a commitment to continued stability in the region.

Al-Faisal also said that Saudi Arabia would commit to the reconciliation as long as Syria honored its own commitments.

Source: Al-Hayat, London, February 27, 2009

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani yesterday completed his four-day visit to South Korea, and departed for Tehran.

In an announcement, his office announced that Talabani had signed an economic-strategic memorandum of understanding with South Korea.

The Korean president's office said that he had signed $3.5 billion in oil contracts.

However, the Iraqi Oil Ministry clarified that Talabani's role is symbolic and that only the central government in Baghdad can sign economic contracts.

Source: Al-Hayat, London, February 27, 2009

Cartoonist: Khaldoun Gharaibe

Source: Al-Rai, Jordan, February 26, 2009

Cartoonist: Hassan Bleibel

Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Lebanon, February 27, 2009

Russia and Jordan have initialed an agreement for nuclear cooperation for peaceful purposes, which includes the establishment of an electricity production station and research centers, and also training for physicists.

The full agreement is to be signed at the end of next month.

Source: Al-Quds Al-Arabi, London, February 27, 2009

Syrian Ambassador to Washington Dr. Imad Mustafa met yesterday with the U.S.’s Principle Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman.

According to a U.S. State Department official, the two discussed the issue of Syria's support for terrorism, its efforts to obtain nuclear weapons, its involvement in Lebanon, and the deterioration of its human rights situation.

However, Ambassador Mustafa said that the meeting dealt with a solution to disputes between the sides, and called it helpful.

Source: Al-Thawra, Syria; Al-Nahar, Lebanon, February 27, 2009

Abd Al-Bari Zebari, an Iraqi MP from the Kurdish coalition, has said that Iraq is working on holding an Iran-U.S. conference, with the aim of bringing the sides' positions closer together.

Source: Alrafidayn.com, February 26, 2009

Iraq and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) have signed a three-year cooperation agreement.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said that his country sought to play an active role in the Islamic world.

OIC secretary Akmal Al-Din Ihsan Uglu expressed willingness to expand political and economic relations between the OIC and Iraq.

This week the OIC opened headquarters in Baghdad.

Source: Aswataliraq.info, February 26, 2009

Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Mohammad Al-Salim Al-Sabah yesterday arrived for an historic visit to Iraq. He is the first senior Kuwaiti official to come to Iraq since the latter invaded Kuwait in 1990.

In a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minster Nouri Al-Maliki, the two discussed shared issues in advance of the upcoming first meeting of the Kuwaiti Iraqi conference in Baghdad.

Al-Maliki said that Iraq would not return to the "policy of wars and adventures."

Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, February 27, 2009

Gamal Mubarak, the son of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and deputy secretary-general of the ruling Egyptian National Democratic Party, has announced that during his visit to the U.S. next week, he will participate in several conferences on the global economic crisis and its impact on the Middle East and on Egypt.

He also said that he expected to meet with U.S. Congressmen and to visit several research institutes, to discuss Middle East problems, the new U.S. policy, and Egypt-U.S. relations.

Source: Al-Masri Al-Yawm, Egypt, February 27, 2009