Iran says it will release 2,000 Iraqi prisoners next week
Iraq-Iran, Politics, 4/6/2000

The spokesman for the committee of the Iranian prisoners of war, Maj. Gen. Muhammad Balar, said on Wednesday in Tehran that Iran will release 2,000 Iraqi prisoners during the next week, unilaterally.

In a statement he made on Wednesday, Balar added that this initiative was taken by Iran following the recent talks held between Iran and the International Committee of the Red Cross on the occasion of Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Khadir.

Balar added that the names of the prisoners were registered by representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross and will be handed over next week to the official of this committee at the border area of Khousroy to be returned to Iraq.

Meanwhile, AFP said that Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz described the flight made two days ago between Amman and Baghdad by four persons, who defied the sanctions imposed on Iraq as friendly and brave, noting that this flight is not a violation.

During his meeting with the member of Italian Parliament and the European Parliament, Vitorio Scarby, and another three men, Aziz added that the people of Iraq highly appreciate the courageous and noble initiative made by the four men, saying that this air flight represents a defiance of the sanctions imposed on Iraq.

However, the four men arrived in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Monday evening on board a small plane in a flight which is the first from Amman to Baghdad to express their defiance of the sanctions imposed for ten years and to voice their solidarity with the Iraqi people.

In addition to the parliamentarian Scarby, the group includes Rev. Jan Mary Benjamin, who is of French nationality, and Peto Anjleko, Nicola Krowzer and the pilot of the plane.

The Italian plane left Iraq on Wednesday morning on its way back to Rome.

Previous Stories:
  Iran, Iraq agree to close prisoners file   (1/27/2000)
  Iraq calls on Iran to release all Iraqi prisoners   (10/5/1999)
  Report Iraqi prisoners of war ask for asylum in Iran   (10/4/1999)

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