LOC16:00
13:00 GMT
(With photos)
TEHRAN, April 13 (KUNA) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on
Sunday hoped for a unanimous agreement on a solution to be reached vis-@-vis
the Iraqi issue in the anticipated meeting of Iraq's neighbors to be held in
Kuwait on April 22.
In press statements following talks with visiting foreign minister of the
Philippines, Alberto Romulo, Mottaki said the meeting in Kuwait was
"important", noting it would group foreign ministers of countries neighboring
Iraq, in addition to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) five permanent
members and the G-8 countries.
The Iranian official reiterated the urge of multinational forces to
withdraw from Iraq according to a set timetable and refer security issues for
the Iraqi government to handle, saying "the continuation of having these
troops in the country (Iraq), meant that one of the reasons of the lack of
security still persists,"
Mottaki will represent his country in the meeting.
Mottaki reaffirmed what he described the "US failure in Iraq", saying that
instead of admitting to this failure; the US administration was blaming others
for its own mistakes.
He also slammed the United States for renewing the contract of Black Water
Security Company in Iraq for another year, accusing the Company of having a
hand in killing a number of Iraqis.
As for what foreign media have reported on the possibility of holding a
meeting with US counterpart Condoleezza Rice, Mottaki commented that such
thing was not enlisted in the agenda. (pickup previous)
mw.hb
KUNA 131600 Apr 08NNNN