The World - News from April 23, 1989

The foreign ministers of Iran and Iraq resumed direct peace talks, but they appeared no closer to a permanent truce than when negotiations began eight months ago. Iraqi Foreign Minister Tarik Aziz, leaving after 2 1/2 hours of talks in Geneva with his Iranian counterpart, Ali Akbar Velayati, said the meeting brought only a reiteration of clashing positions. Progress continues to be stalled over Iran’s demand for a full withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Iran and Iraq’s insistence on early dredging of the Shatt al Arab waterway, its only outlet to the sea. The talks were chaired by U.N. Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar. Another session is planned for today.