Thursday, March 29, 2007
Talabani seeks regional support at summit in Riyadh
Region, Politics, Security
(AP) - Iraq's president tried to win Arab support Wednesday, promising Baghdad will give a greater political role to Sunni Muslims but calling on Arab countries to help stop terrorism in Iraq. A summit of Arab leaders in the Saudi capital Wednesday is taking a tough line on Iraq, demanding it change its constitution and military to include more Sunnis and end a program uprooting former members of Saddam Hussein's ruling Baath party.
The Sunni-led governments of the Arab world have long been suspicious of Iraq's new Shiite leadership, blaming it for fueling violence by discriminating against Sunni Arabs and accusing it of helping mainly Shiite Iran extend its influence in the Middle East. In a speech to the summit, Saudi King Abdullah denounced the U.S. military presence in Iraq as an "illegitimate foreign occupation" and warned that sectarian bloodshed was leading to civil war.
The head of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, warned that the Iraqi government's sectarian policies were threatening a wider conflict. "The clash between Sunnis and Shiites in Iraq and the policies that enflame and exploit it could light a horrific regional inferno that will leave no one victorious," he said.
Ahead of the summit, Iraq's Shiite prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, and President Jalal Talabani promised to introduce new legislation to let former members of Saddam's ruling Baath Party resume jobs in the government. The legislation, which has yet to be put to parliament, was seen as an attempt to avert criticism at the Arab summit. Al-Maliki is said to fear rising support among U.S.-allied Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan for an Iraqi national unity government led by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, a favorite of Washington.
Talabani, a Kurd, called on Arab nations to back the Iraqi government by cancelling Iraqi debts and help stop militants from crossing into Iraq to join the insurgency. "Our utmost need will remain that we should act together to break the neck of terrorism," he said.
The Sunni-led governments of the Arab world have long been suspicious of Iraq's new Shiite leadership, blaming it for fueling violence by discriminating against Sunni Arabs and accusing it of helping mainly Shiite Iran extend its influence in the Middle East. In a speech to the summit, Saudi King Abdullah denounced the U.S. military presence in Iraq as an "illegitimate foreign occupation" and warned that sectarian bloodshed was leading to civil war.
The head of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, warned that the Iraqi government's sectarian policies were threatening a wider conflict. "The clash between Sunnis and Shiites in Iraq and the policies that enflame and exploit it could light a horrific regional inferno that will leave no one victorious," he said.
Ahead of the summit, Iraq's Shiite prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, and President Jalal Talabani promised to introduce new legislation to let former members of Saddam's ruling Baath Party resume jobs in the government. The legislation, which has yet to be put to parliament, was seen as an attempt to avert criticism at the Arab summit. Al-Maliki is said to fear rising support among U.S.-allied Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan for an Iraqi national unity government led by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, a favorite of Washington.
Talabani, a Kurd, called on Arab nations to back the Iraqi government by cancelling Iraqi debts and help stop militants from crossing into Iraq to join the insurgency. "Our utmost need will remain that we should act together to break the neck of terrorism," he said.
Labels: 19th Arab Summit, Amr Mousa, constitution amendment, Iyad Allawi, Jalal Talabani
