Thursday, May 17, 2007
Iraq rejects Pakistan's offer of Muslim peacekeeping force
Region, Security
(Dawn) - Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari on Wednesday rejected a Pakistani proposal for a Muslim peacekeeping force, saying more foreign troops were not welcome in Iraq. Opening a meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference on Tuesday, Pakistani President Gen Pervez Musharraf had raised the idea of a peacekeeping force for Iraq drawn from Muslim nations.
Asked by reporters about the idea on Wednesday, Mr Zebari said the idea had been raised and knocked down before. “My government’s position is not for welcoming any more troops. We want our troops, the Iraqi troops, to rise up and stand, let’s say to stabilise the situation,” Mr Zebari said. Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said the ongoing meeting is likely to adopt a resolution supporting Iran’s right to peaceful use of nuclear technology. The three-day foreign ministers’ meeting of the OIC began deliberations on Tuesday.
Labels: Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Musharraf, Muslim peacekeeping force, Organisation of the Islamic Conference, Pakistan
