Special report: Tension escalates in Iraq

    BAGHDAD, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Iraq and Lebanon agreed to sign agreements soon in different fields during the visit of Lebanese Prime Minister to Baghdad on Wednesday.

    In a televised news conference, the Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said that he discussed with Fouad al-Sanyoura, the visiting Lebanese counterpart, several issues, including trade exchange and cooperation in the field of the oil industry and exporting.

    "We have talks about trade exchange in different fields, including providing the brotherly Lebanon with Iraqi oil, according to agreements that the ministers of the two countries would have a role in concluding them," Maliki said.

    He said that the "two countries agreed to form a cell in both countries in order to put the finishing touches on agreements that would be signed soon."

    The two sides also agreed to have a joint role in rebuilding and enhancing the inter-Arab ties, Maliki added.

    For his part, Sanyoura said "we advise the Arab leaders that Iraq should return to the Arab group. The return of Iraq is an essential goal."

    Sanyoura's visit to Iraq is the first for a Lebanese prime minister, and second for top Arab leaders after the visit of Jordan 's King Abdullah II on Aug. 11 since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003.

    The visit of the two Arab leaders mark a considerable payoff for Iraq's efforts for gaining greater diplomatic support from its neighbors, especially the Arab countries.

    The leaders of the Arab nations shunned tours to Iraq since fall of Saddam in 2003 either out of security concerns or due to misgivings over the relationship between Iraq's Shiite-led government and Iran.