Iran and Egypt to hold talks on restoring full diplomatic ties

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Egypt and Iran will hold a round of talks in the coming days aimed at restoring full diplomatic relations. The rapprochement was apparently made possible by the recent thaw between the United States and Iran.

According to sources in Egypt, Cairo's Foreign Minister, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, is expected to meet with his Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, to discuss opening embassies in Tehran and Cairo.

Last week, Aboul Gheit sent Mottaki a message saying Egypt was willing to talk about restoring relations with Iran. The message was sent in response to a statement by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who said that "should Egypt signal that it wants to restore relations, we would be willing to open an embassy in Cairo the very next day."

The current drive to renew relations, which were severed in 1979 following the Islamic revolution in Iran, apparently results from the recent thaw between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic. The two foes have been engaged in contact in recent months after Washington's decision to include the Iranians in talks on Iraq's future.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/866563.html

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1. Iran and Egypt point to a new order

"The decision to restore relations has been taken, and in the coming days, Inshallah , we will see the resumption of our relations." That was Iranian vice president Mohammad Ali Abtahi in January 2004 telling the Arab press that "official declarations" regarding the resumption of diplomatic ties between Iran and Egypt were imminent. Three and a half years later, we are still waiting.

Last month, though, President Mahmud Ahmadinejad used the opportunity of his official visit to the United Arab Emirates to make a major pitch by stating, "We are determined to pursue normalization of relations with Egypt, and if the Egyptian government declares its readiness, before the working hour is over today, we are willing to open Iran's embassy in Cairo."

The Egyptian government responded favorably, and now there is even talk of Ahmadinejad visiting Egypt. Iran's ambassador to Syria circulated the news of Ahmadinejad's interest in traveling to Cairo, which means Damascus will act as a bridge over the troubled waters that separate Tehran and Cairo - relations have been stalled for 28 years.

The issue now is whether this latest flare-up of mutual interest in rapprochement between the region's two biggest Muslim nations can be taken any more seriously than in 2004. The obstacles that thwarted previous efforts have not disappeared, yet there is more room for optimism than before.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/IF05Ak04.html