Friday, February 29, 2008

Red carpet awaits Ahmadinejad in Baghdad's Green Zone

"Baghdad/Teheran/ (dpa) - It's a visit to bring sweat to the brow of diplomats on both sides: The arrival of Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad in Baghdad planned for Sunday.....

....the Iraqi government - dominated by religious Shiite parties with close ties to Tehran - is not the only one calling the shots, but also the US troops.

Delicate is even the issue of where Ahmadinejad is to meet with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. According to unofficial reports from Baghdad, the Iranian president is holding talks in the so-called Green Zone.

It's home to the Iraqi parliament, a section of government buildings and the large embassy of the United States, whose president considers Iran one of the leading purveyors of "evil" in the world.

The strictly walled off area on the banks of the River Tigris is guarded not only by Iraqi but American soldiers.....

Iranian observers expect that the Iraqis will attempt to convince Ahmadinejad to open a constructive dialogue with arch-nemesis the US.

Iran wants this dialogue too, but is expecting in return the end of US sanctions (particularly those targeting Iran's nuclear programme). "

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