Top Syrian and Iraqi diplomats on Monday (October 15th) said a border crossing between Syria and Iraq is to re-open soon, AFP reported.

"We are now looking at the interest of the Syrian and Iraqi people in opening up the Albu Kamal crossing... as soon as possible," Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said.

Albu Kamal is the only one of three crossings on the Iraqi border in Syria's far east to be controlled by regime forces on the Syrian side.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Jaafari said the opening of the crossing, known as al-Qaim in Iraq, was "imminent".

After the outbreak of the Syrian conflict, opposition fighters and then extremists took over the Albu Kamal frontier post.

"For us, the border posts are not just geographical crossings, but also cultural, economic, political and even demographic," Jaafari said. "This is why efforts have been made and will continue to be made to open these border posts.”

Iraq recently redeployed its forces on the border with Syria in a bid to stem the flow of weapons and "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) fighters. The group has lost much of its territory, but still retains a presence near the frontier.