Talabani urges Iran to attend Iraq meeting
Iraq-Iran, Politics, 4/16/2007

Iraq's President Jalal Talabani in a meeting with Iranian Ambassador to Baghdad Hassan Kazemi Qomi today said given that Iran is a significant regional country, it should take part in the upcoming Sharm al-Sheikh meeting in Egypt.

He expressed his country's understanding of Iran's stance on its kidnapped diplomats, adding that Iraqi officials will do their best to release them soon.

Talabani called on Iran to attend the upcoming event, given that its participation is quite vital to Iraq. Concerning the venue of the meeting, he said, "We attempted to hold the session in Baghdad.

"However, security problems made us change our plans and out of the several cities which were proposed to host the next foreign ministers meeting of Iraq's neighboring states, we selected Egypt's Sharm al-Sheikh." The Iraqi president said that Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Berham Saleh is getting ready to visit Iran soon.

Meanwhile, assessing the relations between Iraq's Kurdistan and Iran as favorable, he said that their exchange of views have been very effective in solving many regional problems.

For his part, Kazemi Qomi referred to Iran-Iraq favorable ties and called for expansion of such relations and further attempts of Iraqi officials toward releasing the Iranian diplomats detained in Iraq.

He also declared Iran's readiness for solving the problems facing Iraq, particularly its reconstruction.

"By relying on its potentials and experience gained through the past years, Iran can take significant measures in settling the difficulties encountered in Iraq," he concluded.

Meantime, Iraq's Vice President Adel Abdel Mahdi said today that his government will try to secure release of all the Iranian diplomats kidnapped by the US before Sharm el-Sheikh Conference.

"We try and hope that the Iranian diplomats will be released before the Sharm el-Sheikh Conference," Abdel Mahdi assured Iran's Ambassador to Baghdad Hassan Kazemi-Qomi here on Monday.

He said his government is in official contact with the US ambassador and certain US officials in Iraq in connection with the diplomats and will spare no efforts in that regard.

"We are in vigorous talks (with the US) for the release of Iranian diplomats and hope that the efforts would be helpful as soon as possible. Official contacts have been held with the US ambassador and with some US officials in Iraq and we will spare no efforts to secure release of the individuals," said Abdel Mahdi.

The Iranian ambassador said for his part that Iran is ready for all-out cooperation with Iraq, calling for speedy implementation of the mutually reached agreements.

US Department Of State Spokesman Sean McCormack said today that he did not know if Iran will be participating in the regional conference on Iraq.

It is not clear if Iran's position has a relation to the release of Iranian diplomats held by the US.

Previous Stories:
  Repatriation of Iran-based Iraqi refugees   (4/9/2007)
  Iranian diplomat kidnapped in Iraq claims torture   (4/9/2007)
  Zebari: Iran seeks meeting with kidnapped diplomats   (4/9/2007)

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