Only still just diplomatic

Iraqi authorities disclosed their intent to open embassies in four former USSR republics: Ukraine, Belarus, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan, Russia’s NTV channel announced, quoting the France Press Agency. Iraq’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Sa’eed al-Sahaf announced the initiative is intended to expand the country’s diplomatic presence in the world. According to the minister, so far Baghdad has established “wonderful relations” with all the Persian Gulf countries except for Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, which “finance the US-British aggression against Iraq.” In fact, the minister stated, these countries create favorable conditions for the American and British Air Forces patrolling of Iraq’s southern flight-ban zone. Iraq with its diplomatic offices in 62 countries worldwide has recently announced the opening of its embassy in the South African Republic. Over the last couple of months Iraq has mounted a vigorous campaign to expand its diplomatic presence which is expected to help Baghdad escape from the sanctions imposed after the war with Kuwait.

As Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman Serhiy BORODENKOV told The Day, Kyiv “views Iraq as one of its most promising partners in the Middle East, which can be attributed to a number of factors”. Mr. Borodenkov pointed out three of them. First, it has the good prospects and good volume on the Iraqi market. With 21 million people Iraq remains one of the most populous countries in the region with a big market. Iraq’s real oil deposits are estimated at 17.6 billion tons, and its probable deposits reach 33.7 billion tons, thus almost equaling Saudi Arabia’s. As to its oil extraction and export volume, Mr. Borodenkov recalled that Iraq rated among the top five countries in the pre-crisis period. Secondly, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesman emphasized that our country has had broad experience of cooperation with Iraq in the times of the former USSR in such sectors as oil extraction, construction, water resource economy, transport, and training Iraqi specialists in Ukraine’s educational institutions. And thirdly, Mr. Borodenkov emphasized, despite considerable oil revenues, Iraq has been and remains by far poorer than the Arab monarchies, and thus cannot afford to aim exclusively at high-quality but expensive Western products. The execution of all the commercial and economic plans naturally requires appropriate diplomatic provisions. This, Mr. Borodenkov announced, “has been repeatedly stressed by both sides during the Ukrainian-Iraqi political conferences in December 1999 and May 2000.” As a result of these conferences both sides agreed on the necessity of a bilateral exchange of diplomatic offices. Mr. Borodenkov further stated that for this purpose a group of leading Ukrainian diplomats arrived in Baghdad early October this year. In turn Iraq’s foreign minister declared his country’s intentions. In the summer of last year the Iraqi ambassador to Russia began to represent his country in Ukraine as well.

After the Iraqi ambassador to Russia stepped down, he was not appointed ambassador to Ukraine. So far it is unknown whether Iraq has any such intent.