Al-Ibraheimi: neighboring states can help Iraq without sending forces

The UN special envoy to Iraq al-Akhdar al-Ibraheimi said in Amman yesterday that the Iraqi officials have the right to be cautious towards the deployment of forces from neighboring states on their own territories.

Al-Ibraheimi who started a visit to Amman after Iran and met with the Jordanian prime minister Faisal al-Fayez and the foreign minister Marwan Muasher and discussed with them the situation in Iraq, said in a statement broadcast by the Jordanian official news agency ( Petra) that the Iraqi officials are concerned if the neighboring states send forces for Iraq to search for their own interests. A matter which will increase ethnic and religious splits in Iraq.

Al-Ibraheimi who conveyed a message from the Secretary general of the UN to King Abdullah II of Jordan added " the neighboring states are interested in Iraq and are affected by what is taking place and can help the Iraqi people building themselves." He continued " there are many means that these countries ( adjoining Iraq) can contribute to Iraq apart from sending forces." He indicated that the neighboring states " wholly understand the position of the Iraqi government in having no desire to receive forces from these countries."