From: Ad 

My what odd coincidences...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/04/world/middleeast/03cnd-iraq.html?ref=world

"An Iranian diplomat kidnapped by armed men wearing uniforms of the
Iraqi Security forces was freed here Tuesday, Iraq’s foreign minister said,
adding that he was continuing to work to free five other Iranians held by
American forces and was optimistic that they would be released soon.

The freeing of the diplomat is unrelated to the negotiations over the
British sailors and marines seized by Iran for trespassing into their
waters, the foreign minister, Hoshyar Zebari, said in an interview.

“People are trying to link this to the British sailors’ case. Really, it
has no connection whatsoever. Even for the other Iranian detainees, we’ve
been repeatedly asking the M.N.F.I. to release them,” Mr. Zebari said,
referring to the American-led coalition, the Multi-National Force-Iraq.
"

MRD

" The American involvement in the detention of at least some of the
Iranian diplomats has forced Iraq to undertake delicate and difficult
negotiations with two powerful countries on which it relies for support:
the United States and Iran. Mr. Zebari said the seizure of the accredited
diplomat who was freed Tuesday had been “embarrassing for my government.”

“We are treading a very thin line,” he said. “We are in a very difficult
position to balance these two conflicting interest.” "

I thought the US didn't go around kidnapping diplomats etc.

Ah well...

& then

http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKBLA42056320070404

"An Iranian representative is to be allowed to meet five Iranians who
have been held in Iraq by U.S. forces since January, Iran's official IRNA
news agency said on Wednesday.

The United States says the five are linked to Iran's hardline Revolutionary
Guards and says they were providing support to militants in Iraq. Tehran
denies the charge and says the men are diplomats.

Iraq said it had handed a request for such a meeting to the U.S. embassy
about two weeks ago. There was no immediate confirmation of the report from
U.S. officials.

"With the continuous efforts of Iran's embassy in Iraq, the
cooperation of the Iraqi officials and the help of the U.N. representative,
Iran's representative is supposed to meet our country's diplomats," a
"reliable source" was quoted by IRNA as saying.

Some analysts say the Revolutionary Guards who seized 15 British sailors
and marines on March 23 in the northern Gulf may have been acting partly to
send a message that Iran would not remain idle while its citizens were
detained in Iraq.

Iranian officials dismiss any link between the Britons and the five
Iranians in Iraq. Britain and the United States have said they would not
get involved in negotiations over any swaps."

My my no linkage whatsoever......assuming you wish to take the
"opinions" given above.

What startling coincidences.

Adam

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