Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Arab League - no plans to hold Arab summit on Iraq
Politics, Region
(Al-Sharq al-Awsat) - Arab League Secretary-General Amr Musa told the London-based "Al-Sharq al-Awsat" in an interview published on May 14 that the Arab states are ill-prepared to deal with the Iraq issue. Asked what role Arab states could play to help the Iraqi government, Musa said: "The Arab world is also in a dilemma, and any solution must be based on national accord among Iraqis.... Without such an accord there will not be a new Iraq."
While stressing that the Arab League has pushed for national reconciliation in Iraq, Musa said that as secretary-general, he has no plans to hold an extraordinary Arab summit on Iraq, and that it would be up to Arab foreign ministers to propose such a meeting. Asked about criticisms by former Arab League representative to Iraq Mukhtar Lamani, Musa said: "That matter is over now, and there is another representative. The mission's charge d'affaires left for Baghdad yesterday. A league representative has been appointed and he too will be leaving for Baghdad soon." Musa contended that Lamani was frustrated with the Arab states, rather than with the Arab League.
Labels: Amr Mousa, Arab League, Iraq, Mukhtar Lamani
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Arab countries asked to support Iraq security handover
Conference, International
(Gulf News) - The final statement of a conference on Iraq urged all participants yesterday to support the transfer of security responsibilities in the country from US-led to Iraqi forces. "The participants agreed to ... welcome offers by Arab and other countries to support the development of the professional capabilities of the Iraqi armed forces," said the statement, a copy of which was obtained by AFP.
Iraq's neighbours and key international players meeting in the Egyptian resort of Sharm Al Shaikh called for the speedy transfer of security responsibilities but did not call for a withdrawal timetable. The participants pledged to "renew their support for the government of Iraq's efforts to accelerate the preparedness of its armed forces to assume full security and defence responsibilities in their country."
The communique added that such a process "will pave the way for the conclusion of the mandate of the multinational forces, whose presence will not be open-ended." It added that ending the coalition forces' presence in Iraq would come "upon the request of and in accordance with timing to be agreed by the government of Iraq."
Several Arab countries have repeatedly demanded a deadline for a US troop pull-out, something both the Baghdad government of Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki and Washington have always refused to set. Commenting on the final statement during a news conference, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abul Gaith said: "To have unanimity... this was the maximum."
Iraq urged its neighbours to stop militants sneaking into Iraq and is expected to ask the Arab League to hold a conference on national reconciliation. Iraq made the call to its six neighbouring states that also brought together the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, the European Union and the Group of Eight leading industrialised countries.
The talks are due to focus on border security, Iraqi refugees and political reconciliation between Iraqi factions and ethnic and religious communities. Arab League Secretary-General Amr Mousa said a draft final communique from the conference was expected to call on the Arab League to convene a national reconciliation conference for Iraq.
"We are ready for this. We are ready to host Iraqi national reconciliation," he said. "Now is not the time to exchange accusations but is the time to work together." Mousa gave no time frame as to when such a meeting could take place, nor did he say where it would be held. The 22-member Arab League is based in Cairo.
Iraq's neighbours and key international players meeting in the Egyptian resort of Sharm Al Shaikh called for the speedy transfer of security responsibilities but did not call for a withdrawal timetable. The participants pledged to "renew their support for the government of Iraq's efforts to accelerate the preparedness of its armed forces to assume full security and defence responsibilities in their country."
The communique added that such a process "will pave the way for the conclusion of the mandate of the multinational forces, whose presence will not be open-ended." It added that ending the coalition forces' presence in Iraq would come "upon the request of and in accordance with timing to be agreed by the government of Iraq."
Several Arab countries have repeatedly demanded a deadline for a US troop pull-out, something both the Baghdad government of Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki and Washington have always refused to set. Commenting on the final statement during a news conference, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abul Gaith said: "To have unanimity... this was the maximum."
Iraq urged its neighbours to stop militants sneaking into Iraq and is expected to ask the Arab League to hold a conference on national reconciliation. Iraq made the call to its six neighbouring states that also brought together the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, the European Union and the Group of Eight leading industrialised countries.
The talks are due to focus on border security, Iraqi refugees and political reconciliation between Iraqi factions and ethnic and religious communities. Arab League Secretary-General Amr Mousa said a draft final communique from the conference was expected to call on the Arab League to convene a national reconciliation conference for Iraq.
"We are ready for this. We are ready to host Iraqi national reconciliation," he said. "Now is not the time to exchange accusations but is the time to work together." Mousa gave no time frame as to when such a meeting could take place, nor did he say where it would be held. The 22-member Arab League is based in Cairo.
Labels: Amr Mousa, Arab League, Iraq, security handover, Sharm el-Sheikh
Friday, May 04, 2007
Arab League may hold Iraq national reconciliation conference
Conference, International
(Reuters) - Iraq urged its neighbors on Friday to stop militants sneaking into Iraq and, at talks in Egypt on stemming bloodshed, is expected to ask the Arab League to hold a conference on national reconciliation. Iraq made the call to its six neighboring states at a conference in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh that also brought together the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, the European Union and the Group of Eight leading industrialized countries.
"We will not allow terrorist organizations to use Iraqi territory as a safe haven," Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told an opening session of the one-day conference. "That is what drives us to call on the regional neighbors to prevent the infiltration of terrorist groups into Iraq and to stop them obtaining material support and political and media support." The talks are due to focus on border security, Iraqi refugees and political reconciliation between Iraqi factions and ethnic and religious communities.
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said a draft final communique from the conference was expected to call on the Arab League to convene a national reconciliation conference for Iraq. "We are ready for this. We are ready to host Iraqi national reconciliation," he said. "Now is not the time to exchange accusations but is the time to work together." Moussa gave no time frame as to when such a meeting could take place, nor did he say where it would be held. The 22-member Arab League is based in Cairo.
"We will not allow terrorist organizations to use Iraqi territory as a safe haven," Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told an opening session of the one-day conference. "That is what drives us to call on the regional neighbors to prevent the infiltration of terrorist groups into Iraq and to stop them obtaining material support and political and media support." The talks are due to focus on border security, Iraqi refugees and political reconciliation between Iraqi factions and ethnic and religious communities.
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said a draft final communique from the conference was expected to call on the Arab League to convene a national reconciliation conference for Iraq. "We are ready for this. We are ready to host Iraqi national reconciliation," he said. "Now is not the time to exchange accusations but is the time to work together." Moussa gave no time frame as to when such a meeting could take place, nor did he say where it would be held. The 22-member Arab League is based in Cairo.
Labels: Amr Mousa, Arab League, borders, Iraq, national reconciliation, Sharm el-Sheikh
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
Friday, March 09, 2007
Arab League remarks infuriate UIA
Politics, Middle East,
(AP) Iraq's Shiite leaders expressed anger yesterday at criticism levelled against them by the top Arab League official, warning that such remarks could overshadow this weekend's regional conference to ease the security crisis in Iraq. Last weekend, Arab League's Secretary-General Amr Mousa suggested that Arab governments may take their recommendations on quelling the bloodshed in Iraq to the UN Security Council.
Such a move would be widely interpreted as a failure of Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki's government. In a statement yesterday, the United Iraqi Alliance, the major Shiite bloc in parliament, said Mousa's comments amounted to "flagrant interference in Iraq's internal affairs" and "ignored the march of the Iraqi people to build a free and democratic state."
"At the same time we hope that the regional conference due to be held in Baghdad in March 10 will not be shadowed by such stands" and will not have a "negative impact" on efforts to resolve the Iraq crisis, the statement said. During a press conference yesterday, the Shiite Deputy Speaker of parliament, Khalid Al Attiyah, also denounced Mousa's comments, saying they could provoke "sedition and disputes among Iraqi people."
"We hope that the Arab League will not be part of any dispute or quarrel inside Iraq that might encourage some parties to take some Arab countries to their sides to accomplish their political desires," Al Attiyah said. Mousa's comments were made in Cairo, Egypt during a meeting of Arab foreign ministers to discuss participation in the Baghdad conference.
(AP) Iraq's Shiite leaders expressed anger yesterday at criticism levelled against them by the top Arab League official, warning that such remarks could overshadow this weekend's regional conference to ease the security crisis in Iraq. Last weekend, Arab League's Secretary-General Amr Mousa suggested that Arab governments may take their recommendations on quelling the bloodshed in Iraq to the UN Security Council.
Such a move would be widely interpreted as a failure of Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki's government. In a statement yesterday, the United Iraqi Alliance, the major Shiite bloc in parliament, said Mousa's comments amounted to "flagrant interference in Iraq's internal affairs" and "ignored the march of the Iraqi people to build a free and democratic state."
"At the same time we hope that the regional conference due to be held in Baghdad in March 10 will not be shadowed by such stands" and will not have a "negative impact" on efforts to resolve the Iraq crisis, the statement said. During a press conference yesterday, the Shiite Deputy Speaker of parliament, Khalid Al Attiyah, also denounced Mousa's comments, saying they could provoke "sedition and disputes among Iraqi people."
"We hope that the Arab League will not be part of any dispute or quarrel inside Iraq that might encourage some parties to take some Arab countries to their sides to accomplish their political desires," Al Attiyah said. Mousa's comments were made in Cairo, Egypt during a meeting of Arab foreign ministers to discuss participation in the Baghdad conference.
Labels: Amr Mousa, Arab League, Khalid Al Attiyah, United Iraqi Alliance, UNSC
