Iran, Iraq to hold serial meetings over border issue

Speaking in a press conference on Thursday Mottaki told reporters that two side will meet in the following weeks.

During his one day visit to Baghdad Manouchehr Mottaki said technical committees from the two countries to determine the land and maritime borders separating the two countries

''Joint technical committees will start meetings from next week,'' said Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari in a joint news conference in Baghdad Thursday with his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki.

''The Iranian-Iraqi joint borders are the borders of friendship and brotherhood,'' Iran Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Thursday during his meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

For his turn Maliki expressed satisfaction for establishment of the trilateral technical committee between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq and said the borders of the two countries are the borders of peace, friendship and brotherhood. Bolstering of Iran and Iraq ties is in the benefit of the two countries' nations.

Maliki also welcomed Iran's proposal for holding a meeting between Iran, Iraq and the Persian Gulf countries on environment.

Meanwhile Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said on Thursday that his country and Iran would remain close allies, despite attempts by “enemies” to harm bilateral ties.

/ILNA/