TEHRAN Iraq's Deputy Premier Tareq Aziz, in an interview with the Egyptian Arabic magazine Al-Mosawar, announced that Baghdad is ready to sort out all its remaining differences with the Islamic Republic of Iran through peaceful negotiations. Also quoted by the Iraqi TV, Tareq Aziz underlined that final settlement of the so far unsolved problems between Iran and Iraq, based on logical cooperation, will be to the benefit of both the two countries.

Iraq is keen to establish relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran on the basis of non-interference in each other's internal affairs and mutual respect, he reiterated. Tareq Aziz has told the American Cable News Network (CNN) last week that the Iraqi government was willing to restore trade ties with Iran on the highest possible level. Baghdad also welcomes the Iranian pilgrims willing to visit the Islamic holy shrines in Iraq, he concluded.