DAMASCUS -- Iraqi Foreign Minister Tareq Aziz Thursday denied what he said were news reports claiming differences of opinion between Baghdad and Moscow over sending United Nations arms inspectors to Iraq.
Aziz was in Damascus on the way home from a trip that has taken him to Beijing and Moscow.
Following talks in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov on Wednesday, the Russian news agency Interfax reported that Aziz had said "no" when asked if Iraq would accept arms inspectors.
Russian diplomatic sources had told Interfax that Moscow called on Iraq to "resume the international monitoring of Baghdad's banned military programs."
But the Kremlin also insisted that the inspections should be linked to "clear deadlines for lifting the blockade of that country and sanctions against it," Interfax said.
Ivanov and Aziz were forced to cancel a scheduled news conference Wednesday after their meeting went into extra time and finally broke up without comment from either side.
The Arabic television station al-Jazira reported that the press conference was abandoned because of "disagreements" between Baghdad and Moscow over whether Iraq should resume cooperation with UN weapons inspectors in order to get sanctions lifted.
Speaking to reporters in Damascus, Aziz said "the press agencies were not present at my meetings with the Russians. The talks were good and amicable, and our relations with the Russians are excellent."
He added that the news reports were "inexact (and) aimed at disturbing the visit."
Aziz was in Damascus for the second time in less than a week. He arrived here on Saturday on his outbound trip, becoming the first Iraqi official to fly out of Baghdad since the UN sanctions were imposed 10 years ago.
During his stopover Saturday, Aziz met with Syrian Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shara to discuss regional issues, the situation in the Palestinian territories and bilateral relations.
He met with Shara again on Thursday and said, without adding details, that the two had continued those talks.
However, in response to a question, he said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would be welcome in Baghdad if he wished to visit there.
Governed by rival factions of the Baath party, Syria and Iraq began in 1997 to normalize their relations, broken off in 1980. They have opened up their border to officials and business people.
This is Aziz's fourth trip to Damascus since 1997.