December 18, 2006
British Prime Minister Tony Blair met with Mr. Jalal
Talabani the President of the Federal Iraq and Mr.
Barzani the President of Kurdistan during a visit to
Baghdad on Sunday.
The meetings were attended by Deputy Iraqi President
and Prime Minister of Kurdistan, the political
process and security condition of Iraq were
discussed. Meanwhile the situation of Kurdistan and
recent development of the region were negotiated.
Mr Blair's arrival in Baghdad came amid holding the
national reconciliation conference attended by
almost political parties and Groups.
Tony Blair also gathered with Prime Minister
Maliki.Mr. Blair said he and Iraqi prime minister
Nouri al-Maliki had discussed the need for national
reconciliation and building up Iraq’s security
forces to fight soaring Shi’ite-Sunni sectarian
violence that has pushed the country close to
all-out civil war.
"It is our determination to stand four-square with
you and the Iraqi people in ensuring that your
democracy is not destroyed,'' Blair said at a joint
press conference with al- Maliki. ``We will continue
to support you all the way, because it is important
for Iraq, important for the region, and important
for the world.''
Blair reiterated his call for Iraq's neighbors to
support the emerging democracy and in return vowed
to help resolve some of the region's troubles,
particularly the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The British prime minister is in Jerusalem today to
meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and will
later travel to the West Bank city of Ramallah to
meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, one of the
moderate Palestinian leaders he wants to support.
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Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair, right, visits
with Kurdistan region President Massoud Barzani,
Sunday Dec, 17, 2006
Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair, left, visits
with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani in Baghdad,
Iraq, Sunday Dec, 17, 2006
Photo: AP |
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Abbas said two days ago he will call early
presidential and legislative elections in a bid to
end a political deadlock between his Fatah party and
the Islamist Hamas party.
The two have struggled for control of the
Palestinian Authority since Hamas won parliamentary
elections in January and formed a government in
March. The election gave Hamas control of the prime
minister's office and the Cabinet, while Abbas
retained the presidency. Violence between the two
sides left two people dead yesterday, while mortar
shells landed on Abbas's presidential compound in
the Gaza Strip.
Peyamner | bloomberg com
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