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Iraqi Minister Backs Iran on Nuclear Research
Iraq supports Iran's right to pursue nuclear research, its new foreign minister said today, taking a position at odds with that of the Bush administration. The foreign minister, Hoshiyar Zebari, spoke during a visit to Baghdad by Iran's foreign minister, Manoucher Mottaki, that marked the reconciliation of two countries that fought a long and bloody war two decades ago.According to news service accounts, Mr. Zebari said that Iraq does not want "any of our neighbors to have weapons of mass destruction." But he also confirmed "the right of the republic of Iran and the right of any other state to have scientific and technological abilities to research in the field of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes." In Baghdad, Mr. Mottaki also confirmed that Iran has withdrawn its call for direct talks with the United States on the stability of Iraq. "Unfortunately, the American side tried to use this decision as propaganda," he said, news services reported. Mr. Zebari said that he and Mr. Mottaki had discussed security arrangements between the two countries. "We want to activate those mechanisms to overcome any interference or infringement, let's say of our sovreignity," he said. Posted by: tipper 2006-05-26 |
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