Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Saudi embassy to open soon in Iraq
Region
(AP) -- Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said Wednesday that the kingdom soon will open an embassy in Baghdad for the first time since Saddam Hussein's 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, a step the U.S. has pressed the Saudis to take. The announcement by Prince Saud al-Faisal came after a Riyadh delegation returned from Iraq, where al-Faisal said it had investigated the possibility of the embassy's opening.
"After we received the delegation's report, it is expected that an embassy will open soon," al-Faisal told reporters in the Red Sea port city of Jiddah. The United States has pushed the kingdom to open an embassy in Baghdad as a sign of support for the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, which Sunni Saudi Arabia has kept at arm's length and often criticizes as biased against Iraq's Sunni Arab minority.
An umbrella insurgent group of Iraqi Sunni Muslims - Jihad and Reform Front - has warned Riyadh against the opening, saying in a recent Web posting that the move would only comfort the Shiite-dominated government.
Aside from political considerations, Arab countries have backed off attempts to open embassies in Baghdad ever since Egypt's top diplomat in the Iraq capital was kidnapped and killed by insurgents in 2005, soon after Cairo announced it was looking at reopening its mission there.
Two Algerian diplomats and five Russian Embassy officials were killed in the months that followed. Iraq's Sunni Arab minority has close ties - including tribal links - to Saudi Arabia, and the kingdom has been a powerful voice pressing for al-Maliki's government to take steps to reconcile with the Sunnis.
"After we received the delegation's report, it is expected that an embassy will open soon," al-Faisal told reporters in the Red Sea port city of Jiddah. The United States has pushed the kingdom to open an embassy in Baghdad as a sign of support for the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, which Sunni Saudi Arabia has kept at arm's length and often criticizes as biased against Iraq's Sunni Arab minority.
An umbrella insurgent group of Iraqi Sunni Muslims - Jihad and Reform Front - has warned Riyadh against the opening, saying in a recent Web posting that the move would only comfort the Shiite-dominated government.
Aside from political considerations, Arab countries have backed off attempts to open embassies in Baghdad ever since Egypt's top diplomat in the Iraq capital was kidnapped and killed by insurgents in 2005, soon after Cairo announced it was looking at reopening its mission there.
Two Algerian diplomats and five Russian Embassy officials were killed in the months that followed. Iraq's Sunni Arab minority has close ties - including tribal links - to Saudi Arabia, and the kingdom has been a powerful voice pressing for al-Maliki's government to take steps to reconcile with the Sunnis.
Labels: embassy, Iraq, Jihad and Reform Front, Prince Saud al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia
Monday, August 13, 2007
Saudi warned about opening embassy
Insurgency
(Gulf News) - A coalition of Iraqi Sunni Muslim insurgents on Monday warned Saudi Arabia against opening an embassy in Baghdad, saying the move would comfort the Shiite-dominated government. The Iraqi insurgent umbrella group, the Jihad and Reform Front said in a statement posted on its website, "At the time that the Iraqi people, particularly the Sunnis, look for the support of their brothers everywhere, Saudi Arabia comes out with a strange wish to support Al Maliki by opening an embassy in Baghdad."
The statement continued, "The Jihad and Reform Front warns against such a step and calls on the government and people of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia not to implement this wish, especially at this time when Al Maliki's government is in its worst and weakest situation."
Saudi Arabia has said it will send a delegation to Iraq this week to explore the possibility of opening an embassy for the first time since the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The US has urged the Saudi to do so as a sign of support for the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki, which Sunni Saudi Arabia has kept at arm's length and often criticises as biased against Iraq's Sunni Arab minority.
Saudi Arabia has said it will send a delegation to Iraq this week to explore the possibility of opening an embassy for the first time since the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The US has urged the Saudi to do so as a sign of support for the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki, which Sunni Saudi Arabia has kept at arm's length and often criticises as biased against Iraq's Sunni Arab minority.
The Front is a grouping of Iraqi insurgent groups, including the Islamic Army in Iraq, the Mujahideen Army and the 1920 Revolution Brigades. It was formed in part as a rival to a separate insurgent coalition led by Al Qaida in Iraq, which the Front's members accused of killing some of its fighters.
Labels: embassy, Iraq, Jihad and Reform Front, Saudi Arabia
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Saudi considers re-opening embassy in Baghdad
Politics
(AP) - Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said Wednesday that his country would consider reopening an embassy in Baghdad, a step long sought by the Bush administration to help legitimize the Shiite-led Iraqi government. At a joint press conference, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said he told the visiting U.S. secretaries of state and defense that his country will soon send a diplomatic mission to Baghdad "and explore how we can start an embassy in Iraq."
Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Muslim country, has had frosty relations with the Iraqi government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and has not hidden its suspicions that al-Maliki does not have the interests of Iraq's Sunni minority at heart. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice thanked her Saudi host for considering diplomatic ties, calling it "an important step."
The Arab world has lagged far behind Europe in placing embassies in Baghdad. Responding to criticism from the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, al-Faisal said Saudi Arabia is already doing all it can to address concerns about the flow of terrorists over its border into Iraq. "All that we can do in order to protect the border in Iraq we have been doing," he said.
The foreign minister insisted his country was supportive of the Iraqi government. "As an indication of our good intentions, we let their (soccer) team win," al-Faisal joked, referring to Iraq's soccer victory over Saudi Arabia in the final of the Asia Cup.
Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Muslim country, has had frosty relations with the Iraqi government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and has not hidden its suspicions that al-Maliki does not have the interests of Iraq's Sunni minority at heart. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice thanked her Saudi host for considering diplomatic ties, calling it "an important step."
The Arab world has lagged far behind Europe in placing embassies in Baghdad. Responding to criticism from the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, al-Faisal said Saudi Arabia is already doing all it can to address concerns about the flow of terrorists over its border into Iraq. "All that we can do in order to protect the border in Iraq we have been doing," he said.
The foreign minister insisted his country was supportive of the Iraqi government. "As an indication of our good intentions, we let their (soccer) team win," al-Faisal joked, referring to Iraq's soccer victory over Saudi Arabia in the final of the Asia Cup.
Labels: Baghdad, embassy, Prince Saud al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia
Monday, April 09, 2007
France to open embassy in Kurdistan
Kurdistan, France
(Andy Miller, KRG TV) - Jean-François Girault, France’s ambassador to Iraq, last week during his visit to the Kurdistan Region said that his country hopes to open an embassy office in Erbil. Ambassador Girault said he looked forward to taking the first steps towards opening a French embassy office in the near future in Erbil, the Region’s capital, and reiterated France’s support for Kurdistan.
Minister Falah Mustafa, director of the Kurdistan Regional Government Office of Foreign Relations, said, “The KRG welcomes the opening of a French embassy office and we offer our full support and cooperation in making it happen. The embassy office will enhance cultural, economic and business relations. It will also be another step towards building stronger ties with EU countries.”
Minister Falah Mustafa and Ambassador Girault discussed the long history of relations between Kurdistan and France. They also talked about security issues in Iraq and the internally displaced persons fleeing to Kurdistan to escape violence. The ambassador and his delegation visited the Christian community, and shared the KRG’s concerns about political and religious tolerance throughout Iraq.
The French ambassador commended the political stability and security situation he witnessed. He discussed with KRG officials the possibility of increasing participation by French companies in the reconstruction of Kurdistan, as well as enhanced cultural relations and education links.
Minister Falah Mustafa, director of the Kurdistan Regional Government Office of Foreign Relations, said, “The KRG welcomes the opening of a French embassy office and we offer our full support and cooperation in making it happen. The embassy office will enhance cultural, economic and business relations. It will also be another step towards building stronger ties with EU countries.”
Minister Falah Mustafa and Ambassador Girault discussed the long history of relations between Kurdistan and France. They also talked about security issues in Iraq and the internally displaced persons fleeing to Kurdistan to escape violence. The ambassador and his delegation visited the Christian community, and shared the KRG’s concerns about political and religious tolerance throughout Iraq.
The French ambassador commended the political stability and security situation he witnessed. He discussed with KRG officials the possibility of increasing participation by French companies in the reconstruction of Kurdistan, as well as enhanced cultural relations and education links.
Labels: embassy, Erbil, France, Jean-François Girault, Kurdistan
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Portugal closes embassy in Iraq
Security
(RFE/RL) Portugal will close its embassy in Iraq due to the ongoing violence there and the related costs of maintaining security, the Portuguese Foreign Ministry announced on March 7, international media reported on March 8. Foreign Minister Luis Amado reportedly informed Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari of the decision, the statement noted, adding that the embassy will remain closed "as long as the security conditions do not change," AFP reported. Portugal's Ambassador to Iraq Francisco Falcao Machado has already returned to Lisbon and the 14 Portuguese police who guard the embassy are expected home by month's end, AFP reported.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Iraqi embassy re-opens in Riyadh
(Voices of Iraq) Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zibari arrived on Monday in the Saudi capital Riyadh for re-opening the Iraqi embassy there, Saudi TV said. "Zibari will meet his Saudi counterpart Saud al-Faysal and other officials on the latest developments in Iraq and the region" the TV added. The Iraqi embassy in Riyadh was closed in 1990 after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The Iraqi-Saudi ties were resumed after a visit by the former Iraqi Prime Minster to Saudi Arabia in July 2004.
Labels: embassy, Iraq, Saudi Arabia
