The Iraqi transitional government said on Monday that it was not unhappy with the results of the recent meeting of its neighbors' foreign ministers in Damascus.

It was the fourth such meeting between the seven nations following earlier gatherings in Istanbul in January, in Riyadh last April, and in Tehran in May. The council said in a statement, "The Governing Council ... affirms that such meetings are necessary in the present conditions and that the content of the final statement on some points matches the Iraqi viewpoint.”

Foreign ministers from neighboring countries Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey, as well as Egypt, wound up their talks on Sunday in Damascus with a call for a greater United Nations role in Iraq.

They also called for an accelerated transfer of power to Iraqis, saying security in the war-battered country was the responsibility of the occupation forces, and also condemned "terrorist bombings" targeting civilians, diplomats and employees of humanitarian organizations.

Moreover, despite some political differences among the delegates, the final communiqué stressed the Iraqi neighbors’ support for the Iraqi transitional government.

This is very significant and represents a turning point.

In fact, the Arab League had refused to recognize the council until the meeting.

Promising to back the interim administration until the election of a representative government, the document also rejected frequent warnings from Washington accusing Syria and Iran of interfering in the affairs of Iraq.

As a matter of fact, Iraq’s neighbors have always expressed their concerns over the threats to the country’s sovereignty and the continuation of the occupation. They have time and again called for the United Nations to play a greater role in Iraq particularly in organizing elections and fixing a timetable to accelerate the end of the U.S.-led occupation.

Also, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Egypt have not hidden their concerns about the future of the country. The fact of the matter is that the U.S. has blatantly threatened the Arab countries in the region directly or under the guise of advocating democratic reforms in those countries.

Political analysts believe that despite the council’s unhappiness over the way in which Iraqi interim foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari was invited and the fact that he did not participate in the session, the council views the results of the meeting as positive.

The Iraqi transitional government’s approval of the results of the meeting is an indication that it is determined to establish relations with its neighbors and to allay their concerns. RA/HG End MNA