The Hindu : Front Page : Ahmadinejad in Iraq on landmark visit

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Monday, Mar 03, 2008
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Ahmadinejad in Iraq on landmark visit

Atul Aneja

DUBAI: Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in Baghdad on Sunday on a key visit that aims to lay the foundation for a special relationship between the neighbours.

Mr. Ahmadinejad’s host, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has described the visit as “historic.” Mr. Ahmadinejad is the first Iranian President to step on Iraqi soil since Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution. The two countries had fought a bitter eight year war in the eighties. While politics and security issues are high on the agenda, both countries, with majority Shia populations, are keen to keen to anchor their energy and trade ties during the Iranian President’s stay.

Iran will start exporting 200 megawatts of electricity to Iraq next week, after a power link is established between the Iranian oil city of Abadan and Basra in Iraq, the Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

The ongoing talks for establishing a cross-border oil pipeline between Abadan and Basra is likely to gather momentum during Mr. Ahmadinejad’s stay.

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