Sweet victory in Iraq a result of Iran’s support: Talabani
May 18, 2005

By Tehrantimes.com:

BAGHDAD (Agencies) – Iraq’s President Jalal Talabani said on Tuesday night that Iran was on the side of Iraq at very difficult days.

“Iran was at our side in black and difficult days, and this sweet victory is the result of efforts and support by Iran in the past,” Talabani told the visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi.

The Iraqi president said that developing ties with Iran is Baghdad’s first priority.

Kharrazi also accepted an invitation to visit Iran soon.

Kharrazi said Iran would support the Iraqi nation and government as before and called the formation of the new Iraqi government as great victory.

In a separate meeting with leader of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) Seyyed Abdul Aziz al Hakim on Wednesday Kharrazi also said Iran is ready to broaden all-out cooperation with Iraq.

Expressing satisfaction with fall of Saddam and formation of democratic government, Kharrazi lauded significant role of ulema in Iraqi developments and said the new Iraqi government should stabilize legal institutions to help restore law in the country and prepare ground for withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq and help reconstruct an independent Iraq.

Priority should be given to restoration of security in the country and people’s problems should be resolved in the course of time, IRNA quoted the minister as saying.

A powerful government would emerge through collective cooperation of political parties and religious leaders, he said adding that the enemies should not be given any chance to cause rift between Shia, Sunni and Kurds, he said.

Al Hakim briefed the Iranian foreign minister about latest developments in Iraq and said it is the time to call upon Iraqis to help their country's development and independence.

According to AFP news agency Baghdad and Tehran pledged to improve security in Iraq, turning the page on years of war and rivalry.

Kharrazi also met Wednesday with Hajem Hassani, Iraq's Sunni parliamentary speaker, on the second day of his visit, the first since the downfall of Saddam Hussein in April 2003.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said Tuesday he had no doubt that Kharrazi's visit "will open up significant new horizons for cooperation between the two countries.

"Post-Saddam Iraq is a new Iraq, at peace with its neighbors, far removed from its bellicose predecessor," he said.

Kharrazi assured his counterpart that Iran would not interfere in its neighbor's affairs.

"It is in Iran's interest to support by all possible means the Iraqi government. It is not in the interest of any of Iraq's neighbors to see the current situation continue because it would have negative consequences on the entire region," he said.

Kharrazi called for parliamentary cooperation between the two neighbors in his meeting the Iraqi parliament speaker.

Kharrazi told Hassani that Iran has great experiences in democratization process which can share with new Iraq, a report released by the Press Department of the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.

Kharrazi's visit, just two days after that of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, highlights the warming of ties between the two neighbors who were at war from 1980-1988.

Source Link: http://www.tehrantimes.com/Description.asp?Da=5/19/2005&Cat=2&Num=010