Iraq, Iran to Free Each Other's POW Captives

[DRoseDARs]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030313/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_iran

Iraq, Iran to Free Each Other's Captives
2 minutes ago


BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iran and Iraq (news - web sites) have agreed to release all prisoners from their 1980-88 war and all common criminals who are citizens of the other country, Iraq's Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

In an agreement signed Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry said, Iran would release 941 Iraqi prisoners of war and Iraq would release 349 Iranian criminals in its jails. Iraq does not admit to holding Iranian prisoners of war.


The Foreign Ministry said the agreement was the result of a series of talks between the two nations. The Iraqi side was led by Abdul Munim al-Qaadi, head of the ministry's legal department, it said.


It cited al-Qaadi as saying Iran would release the Iraqi prisoners later Thursday, while Iraq would release its inmates on Monday and Tuesday.


It was not clear whether the announced numbers represented all prisoners held by the two sides, but the ministry said the order applied to all jailed citizens.




Did anyone else know this was being negotiated all this time? This is the first I've ever heard anything about it.

[Seeker]

The 'series of talks' sounds like 'something' is pushing these two traditional enemies together....

Although the Iranians will only talk, they just want to see what they can snap up from Iraq...

[KrazyHorse]

Good. Countries have the responsibility to repatriate POWs after the war is finished.

[KrazyHorse]

*Resists urge to take potshot at the US

[The Mad Monk]

Fifteen to twenty-three years after the fact?

That gives us at least a dozen years with the Gitmo crowd...

[TheStinger]

It will give Saddam some cheap good publicity at home

[The Mad Monk]

I foresee jubilation among the 'Iranian criminals', and significantly mixed feelings among the 'Iraqi POWs'.

[Urban Ranger]

Signs of patching up.

Surely not caused by A Common Enemy?

[DRoseDARs]

I need to go to bed now, but I'll say that the timing of this seems a bit off. It can't possibly sway the hawks and it's an irrelevent gesture with regards to Iraq's disarmament.

Perhaps ya'll are right that Iraq and Iran want to play buddy-buddy in the face of a common foe that foolishly and ignorantly named them 2 parts of 3 in an "Axis of Evil." Thanks Shrub...

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by The Mad Monk
Fifteen to twenty-three years after the fact?

That gives us at least a dozen years with the Gitmo crowd...

I didn't say that it was good it took this long. Just that it was good it was getting done...

[DanS]

while Iraq would release its inmates on Monday and Tuesday

By that time, Hussein's regime could be finished.

[KrazyHorse]

AFAIK, the earliest people are talking about is the 19th to 21st.

And there doesn't appear to be a coup in the offing yet...

[Dinner]

The new moon is in the 18th so these exchange may not happen.

[DinoDoc]

I wonder if Iraq will do the same for the POWs they are holding from thier war with Kuwait.

[GePap]

The White House is now saying (just saw thin on CNN) that they might move the UN vote till next week to get 9 votes..so, war next week looking iffy, though still possible.

CNN also said the president migh be planning a trip overseas pronto..though they did not say where.

I think it is about time Chirac, Bush, Blair and Putin met in Paris (closest common point), get locked in a room, and finally come out with some sort of "no one is happy, everyone will go along" compromise in which everyone loses politically, except Putin since Russia has left itself lots of wiggle room, yet we move on. Sadly, it ain't going to happen. He probably will be going to Mexico or something to try to get Chile and Mexico on board.