Iraq says Iran continues shelling despite protest !!!!!!!!!!

[Daanyeer]

Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:54AM BST

Source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews ... 7920070830

By Ahmed Rasheed

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iran has continued to fire shells into northern Iraq despite protests from Baghdad, threatening relations between the two neighbours, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said on Thursday.

Iraqi Kurdish officials have complained about cross-border shelling since mid-August. Cross-border skirmishes also occasionally occur as Iraq's neighbours Turkey and Iran battle Kurdish separatist rebels operating from bases in Iraq's mountainous north-eastern region of Kurdistan.

"On the 28th of this month we summoned the Iranian ambassador and delivered a memorandum about shelling across the Iraqi border. We called at that time for Iran to immediately halt this operation because it is harming relations between the two countries," Zebari told a news conference.

"According to information we have received, the shelling is continuing today in Arbil (province). We again call on the Iranian government to immediately stop this military operation."

Baghdad says hundreds of people have had to be evacuated from border villages as a result of Iranian shelling.

Kurdish PJAK guerrillas, who seek autonomy for Kurdish areas in Iran, are believed to shelter in the border area.

"We have said many times that we will not allow any group to operate from our territory against neighbouring countries. But such cases are to be dealt with by discussion," Zebari said, adding that Baghdad was willing to discuss the issue with Iran.

"Yes, there is a group that opposes the government of Iran, the PJAK, which moves inside the Iraqi border. But this does not justify continuous daily shelling," he said. Continued...

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