Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Al-Maliki to send envoys to neighbouring countries for help
Politics, Security, Region
Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, says he will be sending envoys to neighbouring countries to seek help in improving security in Iraq and will call for a conference of regional states on the issue. Al-Maliki made his announcement hours after 30 people were killed around Baghdad, including 14 Shia employees ambushed on a road north of the capital. "We will send envoys to neighbouring countries to encourage the governments of those countries to reinforce security and stability," he said. Al-Maliki, under pressure from his Washington backers to rein in sectarian violence that is pushing Iraq to the brink of civil war, also said Iraqi politicians would meet in mid-December to try to reconcile rival communities.
The ambushed employees were from the Shia Endowment, a foundation that oversees religious sites and mosques. Salah Abdul Razzaq, a spokesman for the organisation, said: "It's clear that this crime is aimed at stoking sectarian strife among Iraqis. The terrorists are trying to portray these crimes as a sectarian conflict."
The ambushed employees were from the Shia Endowment, a foundation that oversees religious sites and mosques. Salah Abdul Razzaq, a spokesman for the organisation, said: "It's clear that this crime is aimed at stoking sectarian strife among Iraqis. The terrorists are trying to portray these crimes as a sectarian conflict."
Al-Maliki, a Shia who has failed to ease violence since he took office seven months ago, did not which neighbouring countries he was sending envoys to. Washington and many of Iraq's Sunni-ruled neighbouring states such as Jordan and Saudi Arabia are suspicious of non-Arab, Shia Iran's growing influence in Iraq, where Shia came to power after Saddam Hussein, the former president and a Sunni, was overthrown. "We are aiming to have this conference in Iraq because it will be a sign of support to Iraq, but it is not decided yet. We have formed the delegations which will be sent," al-Maliki said. "After talking with the governments, we will decide whether the conference will be for neighbouring countries, or beyond, a regional or international conference."
