BREAKTHROUGH IN MIDDLE EAST: IRAN AND IRAQ AGREED

Iran and Iraq have agreed to resume a dialogue on the problems of bilateral relations which are being restrained by a number of unsolved issues left after the 1980-1988 war, said Iran’s foreign minister Kamal Harazzi on his return to Iran after a 3-day official visit to Iraq. “We have decided to resume work of 5 bilateral commissions which were set up on the basis of inter-government agreements in 1992 aiming to find ways of solving border disputes, to arrange the exchange of war prisoners, reparations,” etc., he elaborated. In the minister’s words, the questions of economic and trade relationships, lifting Iranian international sanctions, Middle East settlement were discussed during his visit, RIA Novosti reports. “ The main purpose of my trip to Iraq was to attach a new impetus to our bilateral relations, and, as it seems, I have managed it,” Mr. Harrazi added.