Hoshiyar Zebari: Visit of Amr Mousa to Iraq "was successful and very beneficial" 27.10.2005

He considered that embracing the Arab League on behalf of all Iraqis is considered as the biggest success.
Zebari said, "Despite the threats that the visit has encountered, I had no doubts that it would take place. I was very optimistic that it would occur and that the Arab League would play an active and effective role."
Zebari noted that the Arab League has always been criticized on behalf of the Arabs, due to its incapability of affecting the fundamental causes in Palestine, the Sudan and other regions. He said, "I said that to them (the Arab foreign affairs ministers). I told them that the Arab League has a historical opportunity to handle the Iraqi case that represents a challenge for the Arab league to regain its role and prestige. Conditions are appropriate but they need an initiative on your behalf." He continued, "I also told them that the Iraqi atmosphere is currently suitable. It would embrace you despite the criticism against you. You have to take this opportunity for the interest of both the league and Iraq."

Zebari added, "This issue has been achieved. The Secretary-General has made his daring courageous visit, which has achieved good preparation for holding a preparatory conference for the Iraqi National Accord in Cairo under the tent of the Arab League, provided that the participants in the conference are the political forces, representatives of the parliamentary blocs and effective leaders. This would prepare for holding an inclusive foundational conference after the elections in Baghdad, which would also be sponsored by the Arab league."

He considered that holding the preparatory conference during the period preceding the elections "would grant the Iraqi people the hope and a greater desire for the actual participation in the elections, in addition to interaction with the new situation." He expressed his optimism saying, "The Arab League would succeed in its efforts." Zebari greatly relies on the initiative and confirms, "It would have a positive effect on the security conditions and alleviating the current aggravation. It would make the Iraqi people feel that the Arabs and the Arab league are on their side." He expected that the initiative would support 'the popular participation in the political process, refraining from violence, reconciliation, accord, and agreeing on the common denominators for all Iraqis of all classes, sponsored by the Arabs." He noted that this would receive American, European and international support on behalf of the United Nations. Zebari stressed, "All the articles of the imitative are Arab. It has no other identities. The basis of its beginning is attributed to the meeting of the foreign affairs ministers' council of the Arab league last September."

He also noted, "It is for the interest of the Americans to withdraw from Iraq, contrary to what some people believe. Stability and having an elected constitutional Iraqi government, is also for its interest." He clarified that from the beginning the Americans "were calling for an active and effective Arab role in the Iraqi arena. Nevertheless, under the occupation and the international decisions, the conditions did not allow for such an Arab role."

Zebari said, "Only the Arab League, not the Americans, can support the Iraqi political process through actual assistance for getting over this stage." He pointed out that the remaining months before the coming elections and the creation of the new elected government "are the decisive months in the history of Iraq; to be or not to be".
Zebari called for "the participation of the major political forces in the suggested conference and for the good preparation for it and good selection." He ruled out the possibility of the participation of everyone. He referred to "the existence of opposing and rejecting forces."
As regards the new developments that made the Arabs play a role in Iraq, Zebari said, "What is new is that we have alerted and warned them of the existence of risks. We told them that in case there is specific regional influence that would dominate over Iraq, this is due to your absence. We also told them that in case you have an actual effective presence, this would encourage the Iraqi people to stand against any trend facing it and would resist any influence attempting to affect it. Nevertheless, Iraqis need to feel the actual support on behalf of the Arabs."

He continued, "We have informed them of all these issues and they sensed actual risks." He said, "Some entities have bet on the failure of our experiment, but we did not fail and managed to conduct the elections and proceed with the political process, despite the threats and risks that we are witnessing." Zebari considered that in case this initiative did not take place at this specific timing, a crack would have occurred in the relations of all Iraqis and the Arab league. He believed that the "return of the Arab League with all its weight to the Iraqi arena for assisting Iraqis to overcome this crucial stage, is a success for the Iraqi diplomacy, which severally called for the Arabs and has been frustrated, but it continued I its attempts until it succeeded in achieving that." He also said, "We shall no more retreat."
Zebari expected the occurrence of attempts on behalf of some forces for frustrating such efforts. He called for "maintaining the thrust of the initiative and communication, in addition to having practical procedures for transferring this initiative into reality and work."

Al Sharq Al Awsat  

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