PRESIDENT ABDUL SALAM MOHAMMED ARIF OF IRAQ YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY) ARRIVED IN CAIRO FOR TALKS WITH PRESIDENT NASSER, WHO MET HIM AT THE ALMAZA MILITARY AIRPORT.DIPLOMATIC OBSERVERS REGARD THE TALKS AS A FINAL ATTEMPT TO PATCH UP RELATIONS BETWEEN PRESIDENT NASSER AND THE RULING BAATH (ARAB SOCIALIST) PARTIES IN IRAQ AND SYRIA.

THE OBSERVERS SAY THAT RELATIONS BETWEEN THE EGYPTIAN LEADER AND THE BAATHISTS ARE AT THEIR WORST LEVEL SINCE EGYPT, IRAQ AND SYRIA SIGNED A DECLARATION LAST APRIL ANNOUNCING THEY WOULD FORM A NEW FEDERAL UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC.THIS DECLARATION HAS YET TO BE IMPLEMENTED.

PRESIDENT ARIF IS THE FIRST PRO-BAATHIST LEADER TO VISIT CAIRO SINCE GENERAL LOUAY ATASSI, FORMER PRESIDENT OF SYRIA'S REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL, WENT TO EGYPT LAST MONTH JUST AS AN ABORTIVE COUP WAS STAGED IN DAMASCUS BY WHAT THE SYRIAN REGIME CALLED "PRO-NASSER ELEMENTS."
BEFORE LEAVING BAGHDAD, PRESIDENT ARIF SAID HE HOPED THE CAIRO TALKS WOULD BE "CROWNED WITH SUCCESS AND ACHIEVE THE RESULT ASPIRED TO BY THE ARAB NATION, AND NECESSITATED BY THE SUPREME.NATIONAL INTEREST." THE IRAQI PRESIDENT, WHO IS ACCOMPANIED BY SIX SENIOR MINISTERS AND HIS ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF, BEGAN HIS TALKS WITH COLONEL NASSER TODAY.