In Bid to Break Talks Deadlock, Iran Agrees on Waterway Clearing

NICOSIA, Cyprus â€”  Iran announced Monday that it will accept Iraq’s demand to begin joint dredging operations in the strategic Shatt al Arab waterway as part of the disputed cease-fire agreement between the two belligerents.

But Iran still insists that a 1975 accord setting the border between the two countries down the middle of the waterway must remain in effect. Iraq has demanded full control over the Shatt al Arab before signing a comprehensive peace agreement.

If accepted by Iraq, these apparent attempts by Iran to break a deadlock in their peace talks could pave the way for withdrawal of armed forces from the 730-mile border and repatriation of tens of thousands of prisoners.

Iran had opposed early dredging operations in the waterway, arguing that Iraq was taking the issue out of sequence and attempting to assert sovereignty over the key shipping channel, which is Baghdad’s only outlet to the gulf.

Monday’s announcement by Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati in Tehran appeared to be an attempt by Iran to show flexibility on each of four points in the latest U.N. plan to implement the cease-fire: withdrawal of forces, prisoner exchange, freedom of navigation and the early dredging of the Shatt al Arab. Iraq says vessels sunk there in the eight-year war impede shipping.

“It appears that Iraq is not against these four points either . . . so it is not clear why the Iraqi government says there has been no progress in the talks,� Velayati was quoted as saying on Tehran Radio.

Iraq had no immediate comment on the latest offer.

At the outset of the war, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein disavowed the 1975 accord, and Iraqi officials say they no longer recognize it.

Negotiating teams are expected to resume talks later this month.

“The forthcoming round of talks in Geneva will be fruitful only if Iraq changes its current attitude and cooperates with the (U.N.) secretary general,� Velayati was quoted as saying.