IRAQ's vice-president yesterday slammed the "negative attitude" displayed by Iran's eleventh-hour pullout from the high-profile IISS Manama Dialogue security conference.
Tariq Al Hashimi said Iran's decision to boycott the meeting of the main international players in the Gulf's security environment had personally robbed him of the opportunity to further discuss issues relating to his country's internal security with a delegation slated to have been led by Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki.
By MARK SUMMERS
IRAQ's vice-president yesterday slammed the "negative attitude" displayed by Iran's eleventh-hour pullout from the high-profile IISS Manama Dialogue security conference.
Tariq Al Hashimi said Iran's decision to boycott the meeting of the main international players in the Gulf's security environment had personally robbed him of the opportunity to further discuss issues relating to his country's internal security with a delegation slated to have been led by Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki.
"I am definitely disappointed - this is a negative attitude. I was very keen that the Iranians show up for this important conference. We have bilateral talks going on and we still have many painful issues to address and overcome," he told the GDN on the sidelines of the event.
Mr Al Hashimi also questioned why US Defence Secretary Robert Gates omitted to mention imminent negotiations on the details of a long-term US presence in Iraq in his opening remarks to delegates.
"I do agree with Secretary Gates that regardless of the improvement of security the situation is still fragile and we still have in front of us a series of highly important challenges that we have to address," he said.
"But I don't understand why Secretary Gates missed out the important point of our long-term relationship with the US, which already started when we asked the Security Council to renew resolution 1723. Negotiations could start in January and it will take seven months to conclude a long-term relationship. I don't understand why he did not include this in his speech."
He welcomed Gates' remarks that any agreements undertaken in the future would be designed to meet the wishes of the Iraqi people.
