VP: Iraq supports Palestinians’ right to independent state

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi on Sunday said that Iraq has always stood by the Palestinians and defended their right to an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. “This afternoon, Hashemi received in his Baghdad-based office Palestinian National Authority (PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas and his accompanying delegation to discuss the Palestinian issue and Arab efforts towards establishing peace in the Middle East…,” according to a statement released by Hashemi’s office and received by IraqiNews.com news agency. Hashemi called on Abbas to put in a great deal of effort to unite Palestinian factions and to settle differences with Hamas, the statement noted. Earlier in the day, an informed source said Abbas arrived in Baghdad on an official visit to Iraq where he is expected to have talks with Iraqi officials on cementing bilateral ties as well as regional and international developments. The visit comes after previous ones in light of Iraq’s Arab and regional openness. On March 25, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem paid an official visit to Baghdad for talks with Iraqi officials. On March 23, Turkish President Abdullah Gul arrived in Baghdad for a state visit, the first of its kind by a Turkish president in 33 years as the last visit by a Turkish president to Iraq was paid by Fahri Korutürk in 1967, the 6th president of the Turkish republic. These visits were preceded by Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa’s visit to Iraq on March 16. Moussa held talks with President Jalal Talabani, his two vice presidents, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, his two deputy premiers, Minister of foreign Affairs Hoshyar Zebari, Minister of Defense Abdulqader Mohammed Jassem, Minister of Interior Jawad al-Bulani, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed al-Dulaimi and other officials. SS (S) 1