"It will backfire on those governments," said Zebari

CAIRO, July 4 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Iraq might not oppose attacks by US troops based in Iraq on neighboring states if they were backing "terrorists" and "insurgents", Iraq’s interim Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told a leading British newspaper Sunday, July 4.

"Foreign support for terrorists is ongoing, very risky and very dangerous. But it will backfire on those governments. A stable and peaceful Iraq is a better neighbor for them," Zebari told the Sunday Telegraph.

He said the interim government had gathered intelligence detailing the support provided to "insurgent groups" by some neighboring nations.

He said "insurgents" had benefited from financial support, logistical assistance and training from neighboring governments.

Although he did not name the countries, senior Iraqi officials told the paper that he pointed fingers at Iran and Syria.

Evidence

Zebari further said that the provisional government of Iyad Allawi will publish concrete evidence this week on the involvement of foreign governments in assisting "insurgency".

"Since we started to look at the security situation, we have seen how foreign governments have been helping terrorists," stressed Zebari.

He continued: "Why they are doing it we cannot say, but we know where the support is coming from. We have plans to put this before the public within days and it will have substantial impact."

Both Syria and Iran have been accused by the United States of supporting anti-occupation operations inside Iraq.

US President George W. Bush imposed sanctions on Syria on May 11, accusing Damascus of supporting terrorism and failing to close its borders to "insurgents" looking to fight US forces in Iraq.

Some Senators feared the law "could later be used to build a case for a military intervention against Syria".

Syrian-Iranian Concerns

In a separately-related development, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami and his visiting Syrian counterpart, Bashar Al-Assad, both called Sunday for the rapid departure of foreign troops from Iraq.

"This crisis was predictable, and its source was the aggression and occupation of Iraq by the United States," Khatami told reporters after he greeted Assad, who arrived in Tehran earlier on Sunday for a two-day visit.

"There is no ambiguity between us and Syria where Iraq is concerned. The solution is the quick end to the occupation, the installation of a government comprising all elements of the Iraqi people and the cooperation of the international community to bring stability and reconstruction," he said.

For his part, Assad said "Iraq is on the top of our list of preoccupations" although he said the two would countries also discuss "Palestine and the halt in the peace process".

"Regarding Iraq, we have always been in agreement with Iran on the need for Iraq's territorial integrity, a representative government and the departure of the occupying forces," he added.

The Syrian President paid a short visit to Tehran in February 2003 on the eve of the US-led war against Iraq, after an earlier trip in January 2001.

Khatami last visited Syria during a May 2003 tour of Arab states.

Coming at a critical stage for both countries, Assad’s visit is primarily meant to cement bilateral relations to stand up to the daunting challenges ahead facing Damascus and Tehran.