Wednesday, July 06, 2005

Iran, Iraq Resume Military Talks After Long Break

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran and Iraq resumed high-level military talks on Wednesday for the first time since the two neighbors went to war in 1980, pledging to pursue peace and security in the region.

Iraqi Defense Minister Saadoun al-Dulaimi hailed his meeting in Tehran with Iranian counterpart Admiral Ali Shamkhani as a breakthrough after decades of mistrust dating from the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war.

"Up to today we had no relations so there are many important issues to be discussed," the semi-official ISNA students news agency quoted him as saying.

"Our goal is to assure our Iranian brothers that Iraq is a source of good ... not of evil and that Iraq wants to be a pillar of peace, stability and security in the region."

No comments: