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Iraq and Libya to end nine year estrangement
24/02/2012 17:53
ERBIL, Feb. 24 (AKnews) - Iraq and Libya are looking to work together, ending nine years of estrangement that began with Gadaffi's severance of ties after the fall of Saddam Hussien's regime.
Relations thawed after Libyan Prime Minister Abdurrahim al-Keib sent a letter to his Iraqi counterpart Nuri al-Maliki, in which he expressed his country's desire to re-open a Libyan embassy in Baghdad.
The contact, made on Tuesday, is strengthened by a visiting delegation from Libya in an effort to bring the parties together and end nearly nine years of strained relations.
Libya closed its embassy in Baghdad after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, during the reign of Gaddafi, who had strained relations with the new politicians in Iraq.
In a statement issued by his media office Maliki said: "The phase experienced by Libya now is an important and accurate stage and needs more patience.
"Dictatorial regimes do not build but destroy, and the evidence is the destruction that Iraq and Libya witnessed due to the policies of Saddam Hussein and Muammar al-Ghaddafi."
Maliki added that his country is ready to fully support the Libyan democratic experiment.
While the Libyan delegation said: "Libya is witnessing a transitional phase and it is one of the most difficult stages. Libya seeks to take advantage from the Iraqi experience, particularly in the fields of politics and security."
Libyan-Iraqi relations have witnessed remarkable improvements just weeks after the fall of Gaddafi, who was reportedly paid $3bn (3.5tr IQD) in 2002 by Saddam Hussein to offer protection should he be toppled.
According to press reports and the former interim Libyan Prime Minister, Mahamoud Jibril, the new Libyan rulers, who desired to improve relations with Iraq began by alerting the authorities about Gaddafi's scheme to help restore power to Baathists after the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
The information came from Libyan intelligence documents, taken by rebel forces, which also gave the names of prominent Baathist figures said to have close relations with the Libyan intelligence.
The visiting Libyan delegation also expressed their hopes for the success of the upcoming Arab summit in Baghdad, and the readiness of their country to participate at the highest levels.
By Murtada al-Yusuf
RN/SS/AKnews
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24/02/2012 17:53
ERBIL, Feb. 24 (AKnews) - Iraq and Libya are looking to work together, ending nine years of estrangement that began with Gadaffi's severance of ties after the fall of Saddam Hussien's regime.
Relations thawed after Libyan Prime Minister Abdurrahim al-Keib sent a letter to his Iraqi counterpart Nuri al-Maliki, in which he expressed his country's desire to re-open a Libyan embassy in Baghdad.
The contact, made on Tuesday, is strengthened by a visiting delegation from Libya in an effort to bring the parties together and end nearly nine years of strained relations.
Libya closed its embassy in Baghdad after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, during the reign of Gaddafi, who had strained relations with the new politicians in Iraq.
In a statement issued by his media office Maliki said: "The phase experienced by Libya now is an important and accurate stage and needs more patience.
"Dictatorial regimes do not build but destroy, and the evidence is the destruction that Iraq and Libya witnessed due to the policies of Saddam Hussein and Muammar al-Ghaddafi."
Maliki added that his country is ready to fully support the Libyan democratic experiment.
While the Libyan delegation said: "Libya is witnessing a transitional phase and it is one of the most difficult stages. Libya seeks to take advantage from the Iraqi experience, particularly in the fields of politics and security."
Libyan-Iraqi relations have witnessed remarkable improvements just weeks after the fall of Gaddafi, who was reportedly paid $3bn (3.5tr IQD) in 2002 by Saddam Hussein to offer protection should he be toppled.
According to press reports and the former interim Libyan Prime Minister, Mahamoud Jibril, the new Libyan rulers, who desired to improve relations with Iraq began by alerting the authorities about Gaddafi's scheme to help restore power to Baathists after the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
The information came from Libyan intelligence documents, taken by rebel forces, which also gave the names of prominent Baathist figures said to have close relations with the Libyan intelligence.
The visiting Libyan delegation also expressed their hopes for the success of the upcoming Arab summit in Baghdad, and the readiness of their country to participate at the highest levels.
By Murtada al-Yusuf
RN/SS/AKnews
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
