Eurasia Press & News
TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iraq’s Finance Minister Bayan Jabr said that his government has launched all-out efforts to set free the two Iranian diplomats who were kidnapped by the US military troops in Iraq.
According to a report released by the Foreign Ministry’s Information and Press Bureau, the Iraqi minister made the remarks in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki here on Tuesday.
During the meeting, the two sides explored ways of developing all-out relations and increasing the volume of trade exchanges.
The Iranian minister viewed cultural, ideological and social commonalities along with the resolve of the Iranian and Iraqi officials as a strong back up for the enlargement of the two countries’ mutual ties, and further stressed that Iraq’s progress requires stability and security.
Elsewhere, he lashed out at the US for having violated the international rules and regulations by kidnapping two Iranian diplomats who were official guests of the Iraqi president, and reminded that the Iraqi government is responsible for following up on the case and setting the two free.
For his part, the Iraqi minister pointed to his country’s need for economic cooperation with the neighboring states, and said that Iraq’s USD41 b budget for 2007 illustrates the firm determination of that government for Iraq’s progress and development, which he said would take place in light of brotherly cooperation with the neighboring states.
