Middle East News
Baghdad conference ends, warnings of regional instability (Roundup)
Mar 10, 2007, 19:35 GMT
Iran\'s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs Abbas Araghshi addresses the media at the end of the Baghdad peace conference 10 March 2007. Araghshi rebuffed allegations that his country was fomenting violence in Iraq and instead blamed the fighting on the presence of US forces. EPA/SABAH ARAR/POOL
Baghdad - A landmark international conference to discuss the future of Iraq's security held in Baghdad closed Saturday evening with the US top envoy to Iraq warning that stability in the region could be seriously affected if the Iraqi internal conflicts are not resolved.
'No country represented at the table would benefit from a disintegrated Iraq,' the US ambassador to Baghdad Zalmay Khalilzad said Saturday, in a press briefing following the conference.
According to the top diplomat, Iraq's neighbours should be keen on putting a stop to the violence that is tearing the country apart, stressing that their own security is dependent on Iraq's.
Washington has levelled accusations at Iraqi neighbours Syria and Iran of 'turning a blind eye' to insurgents or weapons seeping into Iraq through their borders.
If Iraq suffers, then 'indeed all would suffer badly,' Khalilzad said.
In his opening remarks to the conference, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki asked for the help of Arab countries in stabilizing his country, but warned that 'meddling' in Iraq's affairs and pursuing personal agendas on Iraqi soil would not be tolerated.
The Iraqi government, which held the conference to bolster support for al-Maliki's cabinet and its national reconciliation process, has been under fire for the lethal violence in and around the Iraqi capital that continues despite the imposition of a new security plan.
Saying his government had allocated the 'highest budget' for rebuilding Iraq, al-Maliki emphasized that the new security plan was 'still in its initial stages.'
Clamping down on 'outlaws and armed militias,' said al-Maliki, was essential for his governments 'achievements' to show effect.
He insisted that the new plan had reduced the violence and helped Iraqi services, such as schools and hospitals, to function safely, adding that '2,000 Iraqi families, who had fled their homes, returned' after the induction of the plan.
'Standing in the face of terrorism my brothers,' said al-Maliki addressing the Arab states, 'means stopping all types of financial, media, religious or logistic support (to the insurgents).'
He added that other countries should not 'provide (insurgents) with weapons and men that soon turn into human bombs that kill our children, women and elderly, and destroy our mosques and churches.'
Al-Maliki warned that if the violence is not halted, 'the bloodshed' will spill into neighbouring countries and soon the entire region will be affected.
The Iranian delegation to the conference described the conference as 'very effective.'
However, the delegation said that an essential step would be the 'swift withdrawal' of US-led coalition forces from the war-torn country, citing the American presence as the reason for the spiral of violence.
Their presence serves the interests of the terrorist groups, said the Iranian envoy, and is used to 'justify' aggression.
The conference envoys also expressed readiness to meet again in a follow-up conference to be held on a ministerial level.
Discussions over the venue and time have yet to be made, Khalilzad said, who added that if the meeting occurs, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is expected to attend.
Ambassadors and foreign ministry officials from Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Syria, Iran and Egypt as well as representatives from the Arab League and the five permanent UN Security Council members were in attendance at the one-day conference.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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Older Talkback
page: 1
beating around the bush or bush beating off?
little hope in the MalikiMar 10th, 2007 - 19:49:43
Al Maliki seems to me to be beating round the bush when he asks for external forces to bring stability and security to Iraq. He knows, the Americans know, and most Iraqis know that the way forward is to genuinely seek power sharing with Sunni political forces. This can only be done through amendment of the constitution, repeal of the de-bathification law, allowing a reformed Baath party to take part in the political process, distancing Iraq from Iranian interests, and a postponement of calls for federalism in southern Iraq. What is needed above all is de-politicizing religion. Perhaps a new parliamentary block may emerge grouping liberals and democrats and independent Shia and Sunni politicians. The Americans committed a grave mistake when they allowed after 2003 the development of politics around sect and religion'.
You have made some very good points but seemed to have overlooked the most fundamental of all. The Americans must get out. No country can function properly when occupied. Look at the hell Palestine has to put up with. I repeat occupiers out. Then and only then can the road to recover a nation be traveled.
Late 2003 in an international conference in South Africa I was scorned by republicans for calling the US “liberation” of Iraq an “occupation”.
It is ironic that after all the disasters that took place in my country since 2003, I am more inclined now to use the term “liberation”. There is a good reason for this change of heart and mind.
For centuries, the Shia of Iraq have been effectively suppressed as de facto second class citizens because of their creed. The collapse of the Saddam regime presented an opportunity for the first time in a very long history where all citizens can become equal regardless of their beliefs or color. The Shia of Iraq are today being betrayed by non other then their own political leaders because restoration of equality by definition cannot be built on exclusivity even one that can be secured by the ballot box. The overwhelming majority of Shia want a united Iraq. They do not want to exclude others from power or wealth.
The US army cannot stay in Iraq for ever. But a premature departure before a political settlement is reached and the foundations of the new state of Iraq take firm root will amount to a betrayal of the sacrifices made by Iraqis and Americans who have split blood in the quest for justice and liberty.
Wht does 'instability' mean? To the totalitarian, it's a veiled threat to anyone challenging them. To western governments, it means business as usual is over. To the individual living under the cloud of oppression, it means more of the same.
'To the totalitarian, it's a veiled threat to anyone challenging them'
A failed state in Iraq will be the biggest gift to the totalitarian regimes in the Arab countries. Their threats are substantiated by pointing a finger to Iraq.
Thank YOU America. Keep on spreading your so called 'Democracy'. ONly 800,000 Iraqi civilians died because of your greed for oil!!! God only bless America!
So now we agree this is destabilizing??? Who exactly is the cause of it? Let me guess... the Boogie Man. Do these people really think we are that dumb?
page: 1
little hope in the MalikiMar 10th, 2007 - 19:49:43
Al Maliki seems to me to be beating round the bush when he asks for external forces to bring stability and security to Iraq. He knows, the Americans know, and most Iraqis know that the way forward is to genuinely seek power sharing with Sunni political forces. This can only be done through amendment of the constitution, repeal of the de-bathification law, allowing a reformed Baath party to take part in the political process, distancing Iraq from Iranian interests, and a postponement of calls for federalism in southern Iraq. What is needed above all is de-politicizing religion. Perhaps a new parliamentary block may emerge grouping liberals and democrats and independent Shia and Sunni politicians. The Americans committed a grave mistake when they allowed after 2003 the development of politics around sect and religion.
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