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
Friday, March 23, 2007
Iraq asks Turkey to open new entry point for trade
Trade
(Azzaman) Iraq has asked Turkey to open a new entry point on their international borders to cope with expanding trade exchange. Most of the exchange is one way with Turkish commodities flowing into Iraq at rates unseen since the 2003 U.S. invasion.
The flow of goods passes through the only border point close to Zakho but the Trade Minister Adbulfalah al-Sudani says the Zakho border crossing cannot handle the increasing trade volume.
Most of Turkish goods go to the provinces in the north as lack of security makes it dangerous for truckers to take highways in the central parts of the country.
Baghdad and the provinces in the south rely mainly on trade with Iran which has emerged as the country’s biggest trade partner. But Sudani said he was keen to see a further boost in Turkish commodities in Iraq and for this reason his ministry is organizing trade fairs in both countries to promote Turkish goods.
The flow of goods passes through the only border point close to Zakho but the Trade Minister Adbulfalah al-Sudani says the Zakho border crossing cannot handle the increasing trade volume.
Most of Turkish goods go to the provinces in the north as lack of security makes it dangerous for truckers to take highways in the central parts of the country.
Baghdad and the provinces in the south rely mainly on trade with Iran which has emerged as the country’s biggest trade partner. But Sudani said he was keen to see a further boost in Turkish commodities in Iraq and for this reason his ministry is organizing trade fairs in both countries to promote Turkish goods.
Labels: Adbulfalah al-Sudani, borders, Turkey
Friday, March 02, 2007
Iraq's UN ambassador criticises Syria
Politics, Security
(AP) The Syrians could do more to prevent terrorists from crossing their border into Iraq, an issue that will be on the agenda of an upcoming security conference in Baghdad, Iraq's U.N. ambassador said Thursday. Hamid Al Bayati, speaking at New York University's Center of Global Affairs, said the Syrian government could play an important role in improving the security of Iraq by taking control of monitoring its border. "Most of the terrorists, especially suicide bombers" pass through the Syrian border, he said.
Al Bayati, who became Iraq's U.N. ambassador in April, said the terrorists were from many different countries and did not necessarily come from Syria. The Syrians have claimed that they need surveillance equipment including night vision cameras to better patrol their border with Iraq, Al Bayati said.
"They expected at the beginning for the Americans to give such equipment. They said that the Americans didn't give them such equipment, so they can't guard the borders," he said. Al Bayati said Syria has done some things to halt suspected terrorists from crossing its border with Iraq, but that much needed to be discussed during a March 10 meeting that will include Iraq's neighbors, Egypt, the five permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, the U.S., Russia, Britain, France and China, as well as the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Conference.
Al Bayati, who became Iraq's U.N. ambassador in April, said the terrorists were from many different countries and did not necessarily come from Syria. The Syrians have claimed that they need surveillance equipment including night vision cameras to better patrol their border with Iraq, Al Bayati said.
"They expected at the beginning for the Americans to give such equipment. They said that the Americans didn't give them such equipment, so they can't guard the borders," he said. Al Bayati said Syria has done some things to halt suspected terrorists from crossing its border with Iraq, but that much needed to be discussed during a March 10 meeting that will include Iraq's neighbors, Egypt, the five permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, the U.S., Russia, Britain, France and China, as well as the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Conference.
Labels: borders, Hamid Al Bayati, Syria, terrorists
Monday, February 19, 2007
Mayhem as border posts open with Syria
Security
(Al Jazeera) The ending of a three-day border closure between Iraq and Syria has led to chaotic scenes at two crossings as more people try to escape the continuing violence in Iraq. There was "pandemonium" at the Rabia border crossing as thousands of civilians converged on what was one of the only two entry points into Syria on Sunday.
According to witnesses, the congestion was the result of the closure of the Iraqi border since February 14, when authorities implemented a new security crackdown in the capital Baghdad. The border reopened late on Saturday. When Iraqi border police failed to halt the stream of people surrounding the processing centre, US soldiers moved into the crowds with police dogs in hopes of bringing order. Later, they fired shots into the air to disperse the crowds, witnesses said.
The shots could be clearly heard at the al-Ya'roubia crossing on the Syrian side of the border. At 3pm, after all efforts to stabilise the situation failed, Iraqi border police collected all the passports and proceeded to issue exit stamps, abandoning once rigid security checks. Witnesses said commercial traffic was stopped at the border and the queue extended some 40km into Iraqi territory.
According to witnesses, the congestion was the result of the closure of the Iraqi border since February 14, when authorities implemented a new security crackdown in the capital Baghdad. The border reopened late on Saturday. When Iraqi border police failed to halt the stream of people surrounding the processing centre, US soldiers moved into the crowds with police dogs in hopes of bringing order. Later, they fired shots into the air to disperse the crowds, witnesses said.
The shots could be clearly heard at the al-Ya'roubia crossing on the Syrian side of the border. At 3pm, after all efforts to stabilise the situation failed, Iraqi border police collected all the passports and proceeded to issue exit stamps, abandoning once rigid security checks. Witnesses said commercial traffic was stopped at the border and the queue extended some 40km into Iraqi territory.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Iraq's borders with Syria and Iran to re-open
Security
(Reuters) Iraq will re-open its borders with Iran and Syria, closed earlier this week in the initial stages of a security crackdown, a spokesman for the officer overseeing the plan said on Saturday. "Seventy-two hours have passed and the borders will gradually re-open, but it will take 60 days for the border crossings to return to normal," Brigadier Qassim Moussawi said, without specifying exactly when they would be reopened.
Moussawi said the borders would be open for a limited number of hours each day, under close scrutiny. They were closed on Wednesday. He said the closure was mainly to allow for the smooth deployment of additional security forces in Baghdad, where U.S. and Iraqi troops have stepped up an operation to try to stabilise the violent capital. The U.S. military had said the border checkpoints would be revamped, partly to establish "transfer points" to search vehicles coming in.
Moussawi said the borders would be open for a limited number of hours each day, under close scrutiny. They were closed on Wednesday. He said the closure was mainly to allow for the smooth deployment of additional security forces in Baghdad, where U.S. and Iraqi troops have stepped up an operation to try to stabilise the violent capital. The U.S. military had said the border checkpoints would be revamped, partly to establish "transfer points" to search vehicles coming in.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Iraq to close borders with Syria and Iran
Security
(Reuters) - Iraq announced plans on Tuesday to close its borders with Iran and Syria and lengthen a night curfew on vehicles in new emergency measures to try to curb unrelenting violence in Baghdad. The measures were unveiled during another day of bloodshed in the capital in which a suicide bomber blew up a truck rigged with explosives near a Baghdad college, killing 18 people just a day after bomb blasts ripped apart two crowded city markets.
They are the clearest sign yet from Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki that an offensive against militants who are tearing Iraq apart is picking up pace. Speaking on Iraqiya state television, the official in charge of the crackdown, Lieutenant-General Abboud Qanbar, said the borders with Iran and Syria would be shut for 72 hours. He did not say when, but a government official said an announcement would be made when the frontiers had been closed.
Qanbar said other measures included confiscating illegal weapons and explosives, imposing restrictions on the movement of vehicles and individuals and setting up checkpoints in the city. In addition, "all patrols of the ministries of defense and interior would have to identify themselves, otherwise security forces will deal with them as outlaw forces," he said.
The new measures are on top of emergency powers already granted to Maliki by parliament. U.S. military officials say the Baghdad crackdown is in its early stages and that it will take months to peak. Previous attempts to halt bombings and death squad killings in the capital have failed. Indeed, critics say it is too little, too late, while weary Iraqis question whether the plan can end the threat of all-out civil war between majority Shi'ites and minority Sunni Arabs. Qanbar gave no reason for the border moves, but American and Iraqi officials have accused Syria of not doing enough to stop alleged foreign fighters from crossing into Iraq.
They are the clearest sign yet from Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki that an offensive against militants who are tearing Iraq apart is picking up pace. Speaking on Iraqiya state television, the official in charge of the crackdown, Lieutenant-General Abboud Qanbar, said the borders with Iran and Syria would be shut for 72 hours. He did not say when, but a government official said an announcement would be made when the frontiers had been closed.
Qanbar said other measures included confiscating illegal weapons and explosives, imposing restrictions on the movement of vehicles and individuals and setting up checkpoints in the city. In addition, "all patrols of the ministries of defense and interior would have to identify themselves, otherwise security forces will deal with them as outlaw forces," he said.
The new measures are on top of emergency powers already granted to Maliki by parliament. U.S. military officials say the Baghdad crackdown is in its early stages and that it will take months to peak. Previous attempts to halt bombings and death squad killings in the capital have failed. Indeed, critics say it is too little, too late, while weary Iraqis question whether the plan can end the threat of all-out civil war between majority Shi'ites and minority Sunni Arabs. Qanbar gave no reason for the border moves, but American and Iraqi officials have accused Syria of not doing enough to stop alleged foreign fighters from crossing into Iraq.
Labels: borders, Iran, Iraq, Syria
