Siniora became the second Arab leader to visit since the fall of Saddam Hussain, just nine days after a flying visit to Iraq by Jordan's King Abdullah.

"The reintegration of Iraq into the Arab world is the principle objective that we should all work for," Siniora told a joint news conference with Maliki in Baghdad after talks in the Iraqi capital.

Washington has been pressing Arab states to embrace the government in Baghdad, which has complained of being spurned by the rest of the Arab world.

The two leaders discussed ways to boost trade ties and strengthen relations.

"We discussed the details of how Lebanon could cooperate with Iraq in the oil sector ... and on oil investment, including (Lebanese) investment in (Iraqi) oil fields," Siniora said.

Lebanon's finance and foreign affairs ministers and other top government officials also made the trip.

Maliki said both countries would seek to form concrete agreements on trade and oil soon. He invited Lebanese investors to help reconstruct Iraq.

Agencies