Monday, December 5, 2011

Iraq Eyes Joint Defense Deal with Gulf Nations

Related articles .. Iraq and GCC ~ Iraq's Accession into the GCC ... and ..

*** Iraq and GCC ~ Rate $2.66 ? ~ It's Been Stated in 2009 ~ Gulf Dinar to be issued by the Gulf Central Bank and set at SR10, nearly $2.66 ..

Iraq is seeking a joint defence agreement for air space with Gulf nations

December 4, 2011

Iraq official eyes joint defence deal with Gulf

Iraq is seeking a joint defence agreement for airspace with Gulf countries as it moves to secure its air borders after the departure of US forces from the country this month, a senior official said on Sunday.

Naseer al-Ani, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's chief of staff, told a conference in the Saudi capital Riyadh that Iraq lacked the resources to secure its own air space.

"In terms of the Iraqi air space sector, I cannot say that we are capable of securing Iraqi air space as the Iraqi...capabilities are limited," Ani said.

He added that Iraq hoped the days when air space might be breached by a hostile power were over, but said:

Continues ...read more ..

"We also rely on the proposal to sign a joint agreement with Gulf countries and that is what we hope for and what we are seeking, that there is a joint defence agreement for air space, not only Iraqi air space but for the region as a whole."

It was not clear at what level Iraq had raised the suggestion with other Gulf states, nor how far any discussions had moved or what a joint defence agreement might entail.

Iraq and neighbouring Saudi Arabia, a regional heavyweight and key US ally, have had difficult relations since a US-led invasion ousted the former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein in 2003.

US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks detailed Saudi fears that the Shi'ite-led government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was under the influence of Riyadh's regional rival Iran.

Saudi Arabia feared the emergence of Maliki as a dominant figure in Iraq augured a shift in the regional power balance that would be played out along sectarian lines between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslim communities across the Middle East.

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