ISTANBUL, 19 July 2005 — Iraq plans to discuss a regional anti-terrorism agreement at a meeting here today of interior ministers of its neighboring countries, Iraqi Interior Minister Bayan Solagh said.
“We have prepared an agreement. The aim is to prevent terrorism and put borders under control,” Solagh told a limited group of reporters Sunday, the Anatolia news agency reported. “If neighboring states reach agreement and help each other, we can wipe out terrorism,” he said.
A top priority for the Baghdad government is to ensure strict border controls with its neighbors in hopes of preventing the infiltration of insurgents into the war-torn country in the grip of near-daily bloodletting.
The Istanbul meeting, the second of its kind, will bring together ministers from Turkey, Iraq, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Syria, Iran and Jordan.
Turkey, which is north of Iraq, is likely to welcome a cooperation agreement with Baghdad to prevent armed Kurdish rebels crossing into Turkey from their northern Iraqi hide-outs to engage in anti-government violence.
M. Ghazanfar Ali Khan adds from Riyadh: Interior Minister Prince Naif reached Istanbul with the Saudi delegation for the meeting.
“The two-day meeting will discuss in detail border security problems and terrorism besides a number of other subjects of common concern among the neighboring states,” said Turkish Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ugur Dogan. Dogan said: “The prince will attend this second meeting of the interior ministers of the neighboring states.”
“The meeting will provide opportunities to the neighboring states to map out a collective strategy as far as Iraq is concerned,” said the envoy. Saudi Arabia is one of the major countries in the Middle East, largely affected by the overall situation in Iraq. The Kingdom shares a border of 830 kilometers with Iraq.
The Turkish diplomat said that the meeting would emphasize the need for closer cooperation among the neighboring countries of Iraq. It will also discuss the security, stability and sovereignty of Iraq, which are fundamental requirements for economic development and progress of that country.
