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Iraq summons four envoys over interfering into internal affairs

BAGHDAD, Dec 9 (KUNA) -- Iraq's Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned four foreign ambassadors over a joint statement by their countries which Iraq considered an unacceptable interference into its domestic affairs.
Senior Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Abdul Karim Hashim met with ambassadors of France, Canada and Britain as well as Charge d' Affaires of the Germany Embassy and expressed the ministry's rejection of the statement's contents, a ministry statement said.
Hashim considered the contents of the statement as an interference into his country's affairs and an explicit violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, it noted.
He said that the mission of the foreign envoys in Baghdad is to enhance and cement relations and common interest without interfering into the country's affairs.
If it is needed to make a statement regarding Iraq, this should be through coordination with the ministry, he pointed out, according to the statement.
The protests erupting in Baghdad and some cities are a normal state of democracy the Iraqis enjoy, he said.
He stated that the Iraqi government dealt with demands of the protesters as reforms, which should be made.
After meeting with outgoing premier Adel Abdul-Mahdi on Saturday, the ambassadors made the statement in which they called for the protection of demonstrators and holding officials for murder cases. (end) ahh.hm