Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Mottaki: Iraq's security should be restored by its own people

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Aug 9, IRNA
Iran-Iraqi-Mottaki
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Thursday that the root-cause of rampant insecurity in Iraq stems from improper attitude of extra-regional powers.

According to Information and Press Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mottaki made the remarks in a meeting with his Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari.

At the meeting, the two sides discussed a wide range of issues including expansion of mutual cooperation in consular affairs, political and commercial fields, increase of border check points and dredging of Arvandroud river.

Trilateral talks between Iran, Iraq and the US are aimed at supporting Iraq's legal government and increasing level of security in the country, he said.

He described the current foreign ministerial level of talks among Iraq's neighboring states as very vital and fruitful.

The issue of Iraq should be resolved inside the country with cooperation of its nation, he said.

Underlining the need to further bolster relations between Iran and Iraq, he said mutual talks would provide a suitable strategy to increase and strengthen all out ties between the two sides.

Mottaki called on his Iraqi counterpart to spare no efforts to secure release of five Iranian diplomats kidnapped by the US troops in Erbil as well as other Iranian inmates in Iraq.

The Iraqi foreign minister, for his part, said opening of consulates was regarded as a suitable measure to broaden cultural, political, social and economic ties between the two nations.

Iraqi officials try to release Iranian inmates from Iraq especially the five kidnapped diplomats, he said and expressed the hope that they would be released as soon as possible.

"To restore security to Iraq, we should overcome the Iraqi armed groups and confrontation with terrorist groups is among Iraq's principles," he said.

He termed the recent direct talks between Iran, Iraq and the US as 'positive' and called for its continuation.

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