Egyptian FM Pays Key Visit to Iraq
Media Line News Agency
October 10, 2008
Egypt´s foreign minister paid a rare and unannounced visit to the Iraqi capital on Sunday, the first such visit in 18 years. Ahmad Abu Al-Gheit landed in Baghdad on Sunday accompanied by the Egyptian Oil Minister, Samih Fahmi.
Fahmi met with his Iraqi counterpart and the two discussed a plan to boost cooperation in the oil sector.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki called on Egyptian companies to participate in construction projects and share their experience and expertise. The trip comes as several Arab countries are considering upgrading their diplomatic ties with Iraq.
Egypt has had no diplomatic representative in Baghdad since July 2005, after Cairo´s charges d´affaires, Ihab Sharif, was abducted and murdered. Egypt sent a delegation to Iraq in August to check out the diplomatic offices and examine the technical, managerial and security aspects of reopening an embassy in Baghdad. However, Abu Al-Gheit did not name a date for reopening the mission.
Four Arab countries have appointed ambassadors to Iraq over the past few months, a move that indicates the war-torn country is gaining stronger diplomatic standing among its Arab neighbors. The United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait will send ambassadors to Iraq, and other countries are considering similar moves.
Jordan´s King ´Abdallah II paid an unprecedented visit to the country in August, and was the first Arab leader to go to Baghdad since Saddam Hussein´s regime was toppled in 2003. Jordan closed its embassy in Iraq after it was bombed in 2003, leaving 17 dead.
Arab states have been reluctant to restore full diplomatic relations and send ambassadors to Baghdad because of the dangerous security situation and also due to concerns that the Shi´ite government in Baghdad is tilted towards Iran.
Analysts say the restoration of diplomatic relations is a result of the improving security situation in Iraq and also recognition from Arab states that they need to be more involved if they want to play a significant role in Iraq´s development and future. The United States wants to see more of its Sunni Muslim allies in the region forging stronger ties with Baghdad to form a counterpoint to the non-Arab Shi´ite Iran and also to prove that its mission has been a success in Iraq.
Fahmi met with his Iraqi counterpart and the two discussed a plan to boost cooperation in the oil sector.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki called on Egyptian companies to participate in construction projects and share their experience and expertise. The trip comes as several Arab countries are considering upgrading their diplomatic ties with Iraq.
Egypt has had no diplomatic representative in Baghdad since July 2005, after Cairo´s charges d´affaires, Ihab Sharif, was abducted and murdered. Egypt sent a delegation to Iraq in August to check out the diplomatic offices and examine the technical, managerial and security aspects of reopening an embassy in Baghdad. However, Abu Al-Gheit did not name a date for reopening the mission.
Four Arab countries have appointed ambassadors to Iraq over the past few months, a move that indicates the war-torn country is gaining stronger diplomatic standing among its Arab neighbors. The United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait will send ambassadors to Iraq, and other countries are considering similar moves.
Jordan´s King ´Abdallah II paid an unprecedented visit to the country in August, and was the first Arab leader to go to Baghdad since Saddam Hussein´s regime was toppled in 2003. Jordan closed its embassy in Iraq after it was bombed in 2003, leaving 17 dead.
Arab states have been reluctant to restore full diplomatic relations and send ambassadors to Baghdad because of the dangerous security situation and also due to concerns that the Shi´ite government in Baghdad is tilted towards Iran.
Analysts say the restoration of diplomatic relations is a result of the improving security situation in Iraq and also recognition from Arab states that they need to be more involved if they want to play a significant role in Iraq´s development and future. The United States wants to see more of its Sunni Muslim allies in the region forging stronger ties with Baghdad to form a counterpoint to the non-Arab Shi´ite Iran and also to prove that its mission has been a success in Iraq.