Britain re-established high-level intelligence links with Syria as Foreign Secretary David Miliband made his landmark visit to Damascus Tuesday, according to senior Syrian officials, cited Wednesday by the Times. The move, first raised earlier this year at a meeting in New York between Miliband and his Syrian counterpart, Walid Moualem, was a key objective of the Syrian visit.

The report said the newly revived intelligence relationship could be hugely beneficial to Britain. "Miliband asked Moualem in New York whether he could re-establish intelligence links at a senior level" after lower level contacts, a Syrian official said. Moualem invited Mr Miliband to take intelligence officials with him on the trip to Damascus.

© 2008 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)