Egypt astonished at Iraqi statement on slain envoy

Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul -Gheit yesterday expressed his astonishment at statements attributed to Iraqi officials that their government is investigating if Egypt's slain envoy Ihab el-Sherif had contacts with the insurgents.

"These statements attributed to some Iraqi officials raise questions over their meaning, implications and intention.

Are they aimed at shirking responsibility, or are they a repetition of rumors and justification of a tragedy?" Abul Gheit said.

Iraqi government spokesman Leith Kubba told AFP that Iraq was looking into the allegation that Egypt had tried to help in reaching out to Sunni militant groups and even insurgents.

The Foreign Ministry has taken a decision to temporarily cut the size of the Egyptian mission to Iraq and accordingly a great number of the diplomats have been leaving Baghdad for Cairo.