Iraq visit and relations with Iran
FitzGerald questioned why Iraq had been selected for an official visit, and the Taoiseach said there was no particular reason. Quinn asked about the invitation and proposed meetings; the Taoiseach dated the invitation to 23 January. Mitchell then challenged the visit’s wisdom amid the Iraq-Iran conflict and asked whether relations with Iran could be affected; the Taoiseach said there had been no particular animosity when the decision was made.
: What was the reasoning behind the decision to make Iraq the first country to which the Taoiseach would pay an official visit? On what basis was that country singled out?
Comment on this
: No particular reason. In fact, Iraq was not the first country for me to visit. I visited Great Britain and France.
Comment on this
: In relation to Question No. 2 is the Taoiseach in a position to indicate when he received the official invitation, when the official invitation was modified and the people he proposed to meet in Iraq?
Comment on this
: The original invitation to visit Iraq came from the vice-chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council on 23 January last.
Comment on this
: Does the Taoiseach feel that our relationship with Iraq prejudices our relationship with Iran? I should like to know if the wisdom of his visit is still extant in view of developments between Iraq and Iran? Has our position changed since the recent conflict?
Comment on this
: At the time when the decision in principle to visit Iran was taken there was no particular animosity existing between Iraq and Iran.