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Zebari: Iraq to ask U.N. to extend foreign
troop mandate
30.10.2006
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BAGHDAD, October
30 ,-- Iraq plans to ask the United Nations Security
Council to extend the mandate
governing the presence of U.S.-led forces in Iraq
for another year, Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari
said on
Monday.
He also told Reuters that Syrian Foreign Minister
Walid al- Moualem had agreed to visit Baghdad,
possibly in November.
Iraq and the United States accuse Syria and Iran of
supporting the insurgency and Zebari said the visit,
the first by a Syrian minister since the U.S.-led
invasion in 2003, would be an "acid test" of Syria's
attitude. |
Hoshyar Zebari, Iraqi foreign minister |
Baghdad and Washington have sparred over the past
week over security in Iraq, with the United States
pressing for action from the Iraqis and the Iraqis
insisting their hands are tied by lack of adequate
control over their own forces.
Zebari said that despite those public spats, there
was "no rift whatsoever" between the two over the
ultimate goal of a stable, democratic and united
federal Iraq and that U.S.-led forces had to remain
in the country to ensure security for now.
"We believe still there is a need and the presence
of the multinational force is indispensable for the
security and stability of Iraq and of the region at
the moment," Zebari said.
"At the same time, the Iraqi government is ...
willing to take more security responsibilities from
these forces to do its part."
Security Council Resolution 1637, which legitimises
the U.S.-led military presence in Iraq, expires on
Dec. 31 and Zebari said Iraq would seek a one-year
extension.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told Reuters
last week that Iraq could probably ensure its own
security in six months if the United States gave
Iraqi police and soldiers more training, arms and
control over their own operations.
Zebari said the existing U.N. resolution, and the
likely renewed mandate, already allowed for a
six-monthly review and gave the Iraqi government the
right to seek its termination at any time.
He said the issue of training and weapons for Iraqi
security forces, and the extent of Iraqi government
authority over their own security, would probably be
dealt with in a separate understanding with U.S.-led
forces, rather than
through the U.N.
Reuters
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