Mottaki: Iran has entailed heavy costs to maintain Iraq's security

Tehran, Dec 3, IRNA Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Tuesday that the Islamic
Republic of Iran has entailed heavy costs over the past six years in
helping maintain security and promoting development in the war-torn
country.

Iran, he pointed out, regards Iraq's security as the security of the
entire region.

Mottaki made the remarks in a joint press conference with the visiting
Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Bolat
Nurgaliyev in Tehran on Tuesday.

On the Iraq-US security pact which was approved by the Iraqi
parliament last Thursday, he said that the issue should be studied
from two aspects.

The first is that in six months, foreign forces should hand over the
administration of the country to the Iraqi government and withdraw
from Iraqi cities one by one and the second point is that the Iraqi
people will vote on the Iraq-US security pact which is of prime
importance, he noted.

"We hope the foreign forces will leave Iraq in due course," Mottaki
underlined.

Security of Iraq is now regarded as the security of the entire region,
he said adding that Iran has incurred heavy costs over the past 5-6
years ago to help the country develop and progress.

Iran's permanent membership of Shanghai Cooperation Organization is
among Tehran's strategic goals, Mottaki said.

Shanghai Cooperation Organization can play a significant role in
helping maintain peace within its geographical boundaries, he said.

At the meeting, the two sides reviewed various issues such as campaign
against drug trafficking as well as extremism, he said.

On the impacts of global economic crisis on China and Russia, he said
both countries suffered huge losses due to such global crisis but if
Shanghai Cooperation Organization can play a vital role in forging
economic cooperation among its member states it could be considered as
a safe haven during such global crisis.

Secretary general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, for is
part, defined the goals of the organization as creation of a world
free from unilateral decision-making or unilateralism.

During talks with Iranian foreign minister, the two sides studied
expansion of mutual cooperation along with regional and global
developments, he said.

Iran and Shanghai Cooperation Organization have a common understanding
on the present realities and are to adopt a forward approach in
dealing with these events, he said adding that the two sides spare no
efforts to promote solidarity in dealing with resolving regional
problems.

He welcomed Iran's policy for expansion of cooperation with Shanghai
Cooperation Organization and underlined the need for further
convergence among Shanghai members in economic and social affairs.

End