Egypt, Iraq plan to cooperate on oil

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The first Egyptian foreign minister to visit Iraq in nearly two decades met with Iraqi leaders Sunday to discuss plans to open a new embassy in Baghdad and cooperate in the oil sector. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the visit was aimed at helping Iraq face its "many challenges." "We reject sectarianism, extremism, violence," Aboul Gheit said. "And we hope that peace and security will prevail in Iraq." The Iraqi government welcomed Egypt's plans to open a new embassy in Baghdad. Cairo currently has diplomats based in the US-protected Green Zone. "This visit will open good horizons for the bilateral relations and soon we will witness the opening of the Egyptian embassy in Baghdad. Today, we went to see some sites to be used as a place for the embassy," Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said.