Iraq for best relations with Syria, Iran, US
Syria-Iraq-USA, Politics, 1/13/2007

Spokesman for Iraq's government, Ali al-Dabagh on Thursday declared his country's call for most favorable relations with Iran, Syria and the US.

Speaking to reporters, he said that Iraq's ties with Iran and Syria will never be affected by Iraq-US relations and the ongoing tensions observed in the US relations with Syria and Iran.

Meanwhile, he said that the instability in Iraq is related to tensions in the US relations with some regional states, adding that Iraq is paying for such tension between its neighboring countries and the US.

The Iraqi official added that his country will do its best to improve the US relations with Iran as well as Syria and converge their views.

Al-Dabagh said, "The Iraqi government hopes that none of the neighboring states will interfere in Iraq's internal affairs, just as Iraq avoids such interference." Concerning the new strategy of President George W. Bush on Iraq, he said that it underlines ceding the responsibility for the security to Iraqi forces, adding that Iraq welcomes such a strategy by the US.

Turning to the rotating tour of the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to the Middle East as one serving the interests of Washington, he said, "She will undoubtedly remind the regional states that the security of the region is interconnected with that of Iraq.

"The US secretary of state will call on the regional countries to help the Iraqi government promote stability and security."

Syria's Vice President Farouk al-Shara Wednesday had strongly supporte Iran's role in Middle East region, particularly regarding Iraq.

Al-Shara voiced his support for Iran's stands and role during a press conference attended by Syrian and foreign reporters on Wednesday evening.

He said, "It is quite natural that Iraq's neighbors are sensitive towards the prevailing conditions in that country and Iran, too, as a strong neighbor of Iraq, is naturally sensitive about developments there, and plays a positive and constructive role in Iraq." The Syrian Vice President added, "When we speak about Iran's role in Iraq we should not forget about the eight-year Iraqi imposed war against that country, because otherwise comprehending many of the current realities would be impossible for us."

Al-Shara reiterated, "Although Syria, too, was in a way engaged in cold war with Iraq during the executed former Iraqi president's era, the nature of Damascus relations with Baghdad differs greatly with Tehran-Baghdad relations."

He added, "Iran and Iraq fought against each other fiercely for eight long years." Syria's second strongest leader reminded the reporters, "When the Arab World countries refrained from heeding their responsibilities in Iraq's political scene, the others took charge in their stead." Al-Shara concluded, "If there is anyone to be blamed it is us for our failure in heeding our responsibilities there, not the others."

These developments came with US President George W. Bush outlining a new policy in Iraq. President Bush on January 10 warned Syria and Iran not to endanger US soldiers in Iraq does not indicate a change in the United States' relations with either county, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said January 12, but "just good policy."

Speaking with BBC Arabic Television in Washington, prior to her trip to the Middle East, Rice said, "I don't think there's a government in the world that would sit by and let the Iranians, in particular, run networks inside Iraq that are building explosive devices of a very high quality that are being used to kill their soldiers."

President Bush "made very clear that that's unacceptable," and the decision to raid an Iranian office in Irbil, Iraq, January 11, and send additional naval forces to the Gulf is "a reaction to Iranian policies that escalated some time ago," such as "the attacks on our forces, the nature of those attacks, and the lethality of those attacks," Rice said.

Earlier in the day, White House press secretary Tony Snow said President Bush's call to defend American forces in Iraq was not a preparation "for war with either country."

"What the President was talking about is defending American forces within Iraq and also doing what we can to disrupt networks that might be trying to convey weapons or fighters into battle theaters within Iraq to kill Americans and Iraqis," Snow said.

The United States is using diplomatic means, such as the United Nations Security Council, to address its concerns with Iran, Snow said. "So this is something that is very important to push back, because I know there's been a lot of speculation about it. Let me just try to put that to rest once and for all."

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack also addressed questions over the operation in Irbil, which detained individuals who had been identified in Iranian media as being diplomats operating out of an Iranian "consulate."

Previous Stories:
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  Iran: US, UK foment sectarian differences in Iraq   (1/6/2007)
  Talabani to visit Syria next month   (12/30/2006)
  Iran ready for comprehensive assistance to Iraqi nation - Rafsanjani   (12/30/2006)
  Lugar urges US-Iran talks   (11/27/2006)
  Rice: Iran, Syria continue destabilizing behavior   (11/18/2006)
  Syrian speaker says Iran Syria are now main players   (11/13/2006)
  Syrian FM: Iraqis should take initiative for stability   (7/8/2006)
  Iran, Syria consider defense ties as strategic   (6/12/2006)
  Al-Assad: USA will sink in Iraq swamp   (3/28/2006)
  LA Times: US general praises Syria for border tightening   (3/18/2006)
  Imad Moustapha: Syria doesn't aid terrorists   (3/18/2006)

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