We need action and not words from Iran

 

By Imad Abbass

 

Azzaman, May 23, 2005

 

The visit by Iran’s Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi to Baghdad last week was reported to usher in a new era in bilateral relations. But there are no indications that Tehran is keen to turn a new page.

 

In public statements, the visiting minister and his delegation promised to tighten security on the border which extends for more than 1,000 kilometers.

 

But before leaving, a senior aide in Kharrazi’s team made it clear that Tehran would still like Iraq to pay war reparations totaling $120 billion.

 

Both countries suffered tens of thousands of casualties during their ruinous 1980-1988 war.

 

But Iran’s insistence on forcing Iraq to pay for the damage comes at a time most countries have agreed to write off Iraqi debts.

 

To demand Iraq pay for war damages runs contrary to Kharrazi’s announcement that Tehran would support the new government and the Iraqi people.

 

Iran can play a stabilizing role in Iraq if it so wishes.

 

True, there is no proof that the government encourages infiltration of terrorists through the porous borders.

 

But there is no denying that Tehran turns a blind eye to other forms of infiltration, particularly of groups with special agendas in the country.

 

It is sad to see that none of the outstanding issues preventing normalization of ties with Iran were raised during Kharrazi’s visit.

 

There was no mention of reports that Iraqi Prisoners of War are still held by Iran.

 

Iraqi officials negotiating with their Iranian counterparts erred by failing to bring up these issues.

 

The visit showed that Kharrazi and his team had decided in advance the items on the agenda and the Iraqis had none of their own.

 

Therefore, the talks did not touch on the fate of Iraqi POWs, the fate of Iraqi planes flown to Iran during the 1991 Gulf War and the issue of war reparations.

 

Iraqi officials should have put national interests above personal and factional ties.

 

Iranian influence is now felt in several areas in the country and is evident among members of the current ruling coalition of Shiite and Kurdish parties.

 

For this reason no senior Iraqi official has formally asked Kharrazi during the visit that Tehran first needs to take measures to build mutual trust and goodwill.

 

Non-interference in Iraqi affairs is one of these measures.

 

Other steps include turning a new page after the eight-year war by closing the file of Iraqi POWs, returning the planes and forgetting about war reparations.