Mubarak Meets Iraqi Parliament Speaker; Reiterates Egypt's Support to Iraq

President Hosni Mubarak yesterday met with the Iraqi Parliament Speaker Iyad Samarrai. They discussed the situation in Iraq and the bilateral relations between Cairo and Baghdad.

Samarrai said in a statement following the meeting that President Mubarak reiterated Egypt's support to Iraq. He also said that he relayed to the President greetings from President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

He added that the talks addressed the positive developments in the bilateral relations, the cooperation agreements that were signed by the two countries and the positive step taken by Egypt to reopen its embassy in Baghdad and appoint an ambassador to Iraq.

He also said that a cooperation protocol between the Egyptian and Iraqi parliaments will be signed before he leaves, and that mutual visits by specialized committees will take place in an attempt to benefit from Egyptian expertise, coordinate cooperation and to unite legislation.

On the differences over the Iraqi oil contracts, Samarrai said such differences are a manifestation of democracy, explaining that MPs differed with the oil minister over delaying the law that regulates the oil and gas deals with other countries and gives licenses for foreign oil companies to work in Iraq.

He said they also differed as to whether the operating oil fields should be developed by local or by foreign companies, explaining that only the non-productive, non-invested and depleted fields should be developed by foreign companies.

He also said that there are agreements and memoranda of understanding between Egypt and Iraq to cooperate in oil and gas, and that the Egyptian companies are allowed to work in that field in Iraq.

On the security situation in Iraq, especially that Egypt decided to send an ambassador there, the Iraqi official said it is much better than in 2004, but there are still some organized criminal gangs that cause concern for security. However, the security and military bodies have been improved to a large extent, and the government is able to protect the foreign diplomatic missions.

For his part, Parliament Speaker Fathi Sorour said the Iraqi official was invited by the People's Assembly, and that the meetings with the Iraqi delegation stressed the Arab identity of Iraq, its unity and the need to provide security to its people and end discord.

In a related context, an Egyptian diplomatic source told Al-Masry Al-Youm there is a diplomatic delegation now in Baghdad to inspect the embassy premises and discuss the final fixtures of the building.

The source told Al-Masry Al-Youm: "We are currently talking with the Iraqi side to agree on all details pertaining to the premises of the Egyptian diplomatic mission in Iraq, and when we finish, the return date of the mission will be set."

The source said Sherif Shahin will be our ambassador to Iraq, and the rest of the diplomatic mission is currently being selected, whether for the consulate or the other departments, noting that once they are selected, they will go to start their work.

He said: "We are now in the final stages of the Egyptian mission's return to Iraq, yet a date was not yet set."