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BAGHDAD: Iraq's request to the U.S.-led coalition for air strikes in the campaign to retake Tikrit from Islamic State insurgents is "imminent", a senior diplomat from a Western nation that is part of the coalition told Reuters on Tuesday.

If the coalition accepts the request, it would see by far the biggest collaboration so far against the militants by Iraqi forces, the Iranian-backed paramilitaries and their Iranian advisers on the ground, and the United States and its allies.

There was no immediate confirmation from the Iraq government about the request, which the diplomat said would be positively received. "Once that's happened (that) we have gotten the request, we will do whatever we are asked to do," the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The coalition has been absent so far from the Tikrit campaign launched three weeks ago, the largest to be undertaken by the Iraqi forces and Iranian-backed Shi'ite Muslim militias since Islamic State overran a third of the country last year.

A military official within the coalition told Reuters on Tuesday that the coalition began providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance for the Tikrit operation on March 21 after a request from the Iraq government. "The U.S. is now providing that support," he said.

More than 20,000 troops and allied Shi'ite paramilitary groups are taking part in the offensive which has been on pause for nearly two weeks after they suffered heavy casualties on the edge of the city, 160 kilometres (100 miles) north of Baghdad.

The Iraqi military had lobbied for U.S.-led coalition air strikes while Shi'ite paramilitary forces opposed such a move. One militia leader, Hadi al-Amiri, boasted three weeks ago that his men had been making advances for months without relying on U.S. air power.

SEEKING MOMENTUM

The mainly Sunni city of Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's home town, was seized by Islamic State in the first days of their lightning strike across northern Iraq last June.

If Iraq's Shi'ite led-government retakes Tikrit it would be the first city wrested from the Sunni insurgents and would give Baghdad momentum for a pivotal stage of the campaign: recapturing Mosul, the largest city in the north.

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Iraq request for US-led Tikrit air strikes "imminent" - diplomat

AMMAN/BEIRUT: The foreign ministers of Syria and Iraq met in Damascus on Tuesday to discuss ways to tackle militant groups in their countries and Iraq called for greater international cooperation to combat the violence, Syrian state media said.

The Shi'ite Muslim-led government in Baghdad, together with Iran and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, have been important allies for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Shi'ite Iraqi militias have fought on Assad's side against the insurgency spearheaded by Sunni Islamists.

Iraq's armed forces are also the main partner on the ground for a U.S.-led coalition bombing Islamic State militants in Iraq but Washington and other Western governments have dismissed the idea of cooperating directly with Syria in the same fight.

Tuesday's high-level discussions "focussed on the fight against terrorism and common dangers that threaten our countries," Syrian state television said, citing a joint news conference by the foreign ministers at Damascus airport. It did not specify which groups the discussions were referring to.

Iraq has acted as a go-between for information about the U.S.-led strikes Islamic State in both countries.

Iraq's Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari was also due to meet Assad, Jaafari's office said earlier on Tuesday. His visit comes ahead of an Arab League meeting in Egypt this weekend. Syria's seat has been left vacant since its membership was suspended in November 2011 after the government's crackdown on protests.

"Terrorism is not just a danger that faces both countries but one that will affect all countries if there is not cooperation," Jaafari said, according to Syria's state news channel.

His Syrian counterpart Walid al-Moualem said the two countries "stand in the same trench against terrorism," state news agency SANA said.

In September Iraq's national security adviser briefed Assad on efforts to counter Islamic State, in the first such meeting since the United States launched air strikes on the group in Iraq. Territory held by Islamic State in Syria includes most of Deir al-Zor province, which borders Iraq.

Assad said last month that third parties including Iraq were conveying information to Damascus about the U.S.-led campaign of air strikes against Islamic State in Syria.

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Syria, Iraq discuss tackling militants, urge cooperation

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Lukoil President Vagit Alekperov met in Baghdad with Iraqi Oil Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to discuss the future of the second phase of developments at the southern oil field.

"Our company sticks to its plans to develop the business in Iraq on a long-term basis and to increase the production of oil," the Lukoil president said in a statement.

First oil was produced from West Qurna-2, located in southern Iraq, in March. Lukoil, Russia's largest private oil company, signed a contract revision last year to build two 75-mile long pipelines and associated infrastructure.

The system will link the oil field to an export terminal in Basra, situated along the coast of the Persian Gulf.

Military forces in parts of northern Iraq are working to suppress the rise of the group calling itself the Islamic State. Violence attributed to the group last year forced some energy companies to suspend operations, though much of southern Iraq has been spared from the conflict.

Alekperov said the Iraqi Oil Ministry has done its part in creating a favorable condition for foreign investments in the country.

Lukoil, which serves as the operator of the field, said West Qurna is producing more than 280,000 barrels of oil per day. The Iraqi government said full field production could eventually reach 400,000 bpd.

According to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, total Iraqi oil production for February was down slightly from the previous month to around 3.3 million bpd.

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Russia's Lukoil committed long term to Iraq

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