Egyptian - Iraqi relations beyond diplomatic representation
Egypt-Iraq, Politics, 1/18/2001

Egypt's President Mubarak yesterday received Iraqi Vice President and member of the Iraqi Revolution Command Council Taha Yassin Ramadan, who said following the meeting that they touched on Arab reconciliation.

He said that the aim of his visit to Egypt is to set the steps, which have been recently taken in a legal and organizational framework through the joint free market agreement, which serves as a model for joint Arab cooperation.

Ramadan said that this agreement would lead to the flow of goods, supplies and services between the two countries.

He said that this is the first agreement in the Arab world since Arab organizations started to speak about the issue of Arab cooperation, expressing hope that all Arab countries would follow this example.

Answering a question on whether an agreement was reached on upgrading diplomatic representation between Iraq and Arab countries, Ramadan said that relations between Iraq and Arab countries are already existing with exception to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

He said that the level of relations between Egypt and Iraq have gone beyond the idea of diplomatic representation at the level of charge D'affaires or interests section.

On Iraq's attitude towards the peace process and Intifada, the Iraqi Vice President said that Iraq is backing Intifada and liberation of usurped territories.

Asked on whether Iraq would soon release Kuwaiti POWs, he said that there are no Kuwaiti POWs in Iraq.

He said that Kuwaiti officials know that but they are requested by the US and Britain to say so to find a justification. For sustaining siege on Iraq. He wondered what Iraq would get from Kuwaiti POWs?

Answering a query on Iraq's political rhetoric, which is not proportionate to Egypt's efforts to bring Iraq back to the Arab rank, Ramadan said that this is not accurate talk because Iraq faces daily attacks, launched from some Arab countries, but when Baghdad talks, its talk is considered as sabotage to solidarity efforts.

It is not a secret that the US-UK warplanes hit Iraq from Saudi, Kuwaiti and Turkish lands everyday. Is this considered Arab solidarity, the Iraqi Vice President fumed?

On whether Iraq endorsed a new map that included Kuwait, Ramadan said that the issue is raised as a bill at the parliament and the state should not be held accountable. "This is the opinion of one Member of Parliament and 99% of the Iraqi people are convinced of it," he further said. "But the leadership has a different opinion," he added.

And if there are contacts conducted between Iraq and the new American Administration, the Iraqi Vice President said that we cannot say the incoming US government will have a perspective on Iraq different than that of its predecessor.

Answering a query whether Iraq will settle a number of Palestinian refugees in order to improve its relations with the US, he said that the issue was not raised. Iraq would not go for less than condition-less relations with the US, based on equal treatment.

The Iraqi Vice President had arrived in Cairo Tuesday on a few days' visit to Egypt during which some agreements on joint economic and trade cooperation and setting up a Free Trade Area between the two countries will be signed.

The volume of trade transactions between the two countries stands at present at $ 1.3 billion and is expected to reach the tune of $ 2 billion this year.

Iraq has decided to cancel all customs tariffs in its trade dealings with Egypt. These measures come into effect within days.

Previous Stories:
  Blockade on Iraq should go no further   (1/15/2001)
  Iraqi vice president visits Cairo   (1/11/2001)
  Egyptian medical aids for Iraq   (1/4/2001)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search