Iraqi Officials Say That Iran Wants to Hold Ambassadorial-Level Talks With U.S. Over Iraq

[babylonsister]

Iran wants talks with US ambassador

Iraqi Officials Say That Iran Wants to Hold Ambassadorial-Level Talks With U.S. Over Iraq

QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA and BRADLEY BROOKS
AP News

Dec 24, 2007 14:01 EST


Iran wants to renew high-level talks with U.S. officials on security in Iraq, insisting that discussions take place between ambassadors and not lower-level functionaries, Iraqi officials said Monday.

The Iranians also want a clear-cut agenda for the meeting, which the American side has not yet provided, according to Sami al-Askari, an adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and a member of parliament. Three Iraqi officials confirmed his account, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak to the press.

There was no immediate comment or confirmation from Iran's Foreign Ministry or state media.

A May 27 meeting concerning security in Iraq between U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker and his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, broke a 27-year diplomatic freeze between the two countries.

A planned Dec. 18 meeting between Iranian and American security, military and diplomatic experts was canceled a few days before it was to be held. At the time, Iranian officials said it was a scheduling problem while U.S. officials referred questions to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.

American officials have since pointed out that Dec. 18 was the day Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made a surprise visit to Iraq, which forced the postponement of the meeting. For security reasons, they said they could not disclose Rice's arrival date ahead of time.

Since then, top Iranian officials in Baghdad have asked their Iraqi counterparts to push the Americans to hold a fourth-round of talks between Crocker and Qomi, an Iranian official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The two last met in August, shortly after the first and only meeting of low-level experts, which produced no concrete results.

more...

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2007/12/iran_wants_talks_with_us_ambas.php

[bemildred]

1. Oh, this should be excellent.

:popcorn::popcorn:

We should get some very funny explanations about why we can't do this.

[babylonsister]

4. 'why we can't do this'... that's sadly a given, isn't it. I long for diplomats! nt

[bemildred]

5. Well, I do think I know why Iran is asking for it, and "why we can't do it".

It is tantamount to diplomatic recognition and an admission that Iran is a "normal state." The current foreign policy elites in the US have built their careers on the opposite sorts of positions. It would also be tantamount to an admission that the Bushite foreign policy in the Middle East has been a disaster even on it's own terms, and that it is is now in a state of collapse.

[babylonsister]

6. Good analysis, bemildred, and I'm confident you're right.

We know how inept this admin has been and is; it's ironic by not 'playing nice' they think they're fooling us.

[gateley]

2. I may be wrong, but my sense is that if Biden were President, he'd be on a

plane and heading to speak with these people himself. Too bad our "scheduling problems" seem to get in the way of diplomacy and a sincere desire for peach.

[bluerum]

3. Please please please. After the holdiays our government will look into the matter.