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Iraq, Kuwait must normalize ties through dialogue: Iraqi president

Other News Materials 19 June 2009 13:48 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijan, Baku, June 16 / Trend , U. Sadigova/

Relations between Iraq and Kuwait should be developed through dialogue in line with interests of both countries, said the President of Iraq Jalal al-Talabani at a meeting with deputy U.S. ambassador to Iraq Robert Ford, president's press release said.

Iraq is set to improve relations with neighboring countries and primarily among them is Kuwait with which Baghdad wants to bridge existing contradictions and problems, the press release said.

The relationship between two Gulf Arab countries has deteriorated since the military engagement by former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein against Kuwait in the 1990's to make it one of the 19 provinces of Iraq.

After the overthrow of Hussein's government by Americans in 2003, the interim government in Baghdad with the support of Arab countries has embarked on a dialogue with Kuwait City and Kuwait's embassy was opened in Iraq for the first time in 20 years.

However, at a meeting of the UN Security Council in late May, Kuwait made an appeal not to withdraw sanctions imposed on Iraq until the latter has not complied in full with relevant UN Security Council resolutions of 1991, which calls on Iraq to pay the contribution to Kuwait for the war, to find Kuwaiti civilians who disappeared during Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, as well as demarcation land and sea borders between the two countries.

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