http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesP...47&Language=enIraq reassures Egypt about embassy-reopening -- speaker
Politics 6/23/2009 2:53:00 PM
CAIRO, June 23 (KUNA) -- Visiting Iraqi Parliament Speaker Iyad Al-Samarraie said here Tuesday that the Iraqi government had given Egypt necessary security guarantees for reopening its embassy in Baghdad.
Speaking at a news conference following a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, he said Iraq was seeking to provide all security guarantees for all foreign ambassadors on its soil.
He said the Egyptian leader had showed willingness to do everything possible to support Iraq's unity and stability.
He added that he had discussed with Mubarak a recently reached agreement between Iraq and Egypt for bolstering and cementing Iraqi-Egyptian relations.
On the security situation in Iraq, al-Samarraie said it was much better than the situation in 2008, but, he said, there were still "some organized criminal gangs" operating in the country.
He cushioned recent disagreements at the Iraqi parliament over oil-bearing contracts as merely divergent views.
For his part, Egyptian People's Assembly (lower house of parliament) Speaker Fatehi Sorour, who was present in the meeting, said both Egyptian and Iraqi parliaments would ink a cooperative protocol later in the day.
The protocol involves bilateral cooperation in various domains, mutual visits, sharing of experience and joint coordination, he said.
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Mar Jun 23, 2009 2:30 pm