Arabs don't need power struggle

The Iraqi foreign minister, Hoshylear Zebari, has stressed that "power struggles have no place in relationships between Arab countries", saying that the success of the Iraqi delegation that visited Kuwait recently in clearing the atmosphere of both countries' mutual-relations,  was essential to raise the chances of success for the Arab League Summit in Baghdad, planned by the end of this month. In an interview with Arabstoday, Zebari said that this upturn in the relationship between Iraq and Kuwait will be to the benefit of both countries, adding that "some people think that it is better to delay the discussion of any controversial points as they will be decided according to the power scale between the two countries.  We believe that this policy has no place in the relationship between Iraq and its neighbours, especially the Arab countries, as those relations must always be guided by the Arab brotherhood and our mutual interests as joint partners of the Arab nation". Zebari continued "It is always better to create a positive climate for our relationships, a climate which is based on faith, friendship, and mutual trust, because only those values can protect our rights and interests, while the rights which are based purely on power can be stolen anytime.". Zebari said that the Iraqi-Kuwaiti negotiations have reached a settlement regarding the case of the Iraqi Airlines debts owed by Kuwait, adding that Iraq is committed to the maintenance process of the defined border between the two countries as previously agreed. The foreign minister also gave assurances that  security procedures for the Arab League Summit are in place, for both Arab and international delegations, adding that some foreign delegations will participate in the Summit's opening session, while he has firmly denied allegations that an Iraqi airfield is being used to transport Iranian weapons to the Syrian regime, stating that it has been Iraq's policy since 2003 to avoid any interventions in the internal conflicts of its neighbours, and this  principle is also embraced in the Iraqi constitution. Zebari dismissed the idea that Iraq's internal disagreements would have any effect on the Arab League Summit, saying that "those disagreements are normal in any democratic state" adding that all the Iraqi parties have mutually agreed that their internal issues should not be subject to any external intervention, and gave assurances that the Summit will discuss only Arab issues and not Iraqi ones, especially with respect to the Syrian crisis.