Iraq to Ask Iran, Turkey for Border Help

[chiffon]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=721&e=1&u=/nm/20041122/wl_nm/iraq_iran_security_dc

Reuters:

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (Reuters) - Iraq (news - web sites) will ask Iran and Turkey for border security arrangements to keep foreign militants out, similar to measures already agreed with Syria, the Iraqi Foreign Minister said on Monday.


Hoshiyar Zebari told Reuters in an interview that Iraq will bring up its request when the interior ministers of the countries bordering Iraq meet in the Iranian capital Tehran on Nov. 30.


"We hope we will do such a thing similar to what we have done with Syria, with Turkey soon... With the Iranians actually we need such an arrangement," he said.


Iran's Interior Ministry said Tehran had invited Iraq's neighbors and Egypt to the Nov. 30 meeting "to find ways of helping and improving Iraqi people's situation."


Syria said earlier this month it had reached a border cooperation deal with Iraq and began building sand barriers along parts of the border. Damascus gave no details of the border cooperation deal.


The United States has said Syria had shown a new readiness to work with U.S. forces in Iraq to stop arms, militants and money reaching Iraqi insurgents.

<snip>
Iran has close historic ties with the Shi'ite Muslims of southern Iraq and there is extensive cross-border activity. Syria similarly has ties with the people of northwestern Iraq.


Both countries have long borders with Iraq and the United States does not have enough forces in Iraq to seal them.

<snip>

more...

[MaineDem]

1. Yeah, THAT will go over well at the White House!

Sharing border duties with Iran...I'm sure George will like that.

[bowens43]

2. Who exactly speaks for Iraq?

[chiffon]

3. That is a very good question.

Given the terse relations between the US and Iran/Syria, this will be an interesting development, if in fact, it materializes.

[Delphinus]

4. That was my exact thought, bowens43. n/t