Bahrain's foreign minister visits Iraq

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed al-Khalifa visited Iraq Saturday in a sign of Baghdad's improving relations with Gulf Arab states after years of fragile ties.

"This visit is very important for both countries and it is a message about the continuation of the Arab presence in Baghdad," Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari told a joint news conference with Sheikh Khaled.

"It is also a sign for Arab countries to reopen their embassies and return their diplomatic corps to Baghdad," he said.

Sheikh Khaled called on other Gulf countries to forgive billions in Iraqi debt dating back to the time of Saddam Hussein.

"These debts were imposed on Iraq and Iraqi citizens had no role in them. We are always working with our brothers to help Iraq," he said.

Washington and Baghdad had long complained that Iraq's Arab neighbors, mainly led by Sunni Muslims, were keeping their distance from the Shi'ite-led government in Baghdad, but those ties have improved considerably in recent months.

After long avoiding Baghdad because of security concerns, leaders and foreign ministers of Arab states have been visiting Iraq steadily since Jordan's King Abdullah made an unannounced stop in Baghdad in August.

Bahrain, which like Iraq has a Shi'ite majority, is one of several Arab countries that have dispatched ambassadors to Iraq over the past month after leaving the post vacant for years.

(Reporting by Waleed Ibrahim; writing by Peter Graff; Editing by Matthew Jones)