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British FM in Iraq for talks with Jaafari,
Talabani
21.2.2006
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Straw to push for Iraq government
UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw is in Baghdad for
talks with key political figures about the slow
progress in forming a new Iraqi government.
He is meeting the president and prime minister on
his surprise trip.
Correspondents say Mr Straw is likely to urge them
to lay aside narrow ethnic and sectarian interests
in favour of a government of true national unity.
Negotiations on forming a coalition government have
faltered over divisions between Shias, Sunni Arabs
and Kurds.
Political leaders have yet to start serious talks,
and correspondents say they could take months
because of objections to sectarian representatives
being appointed to office. |
Iraqi
President : Jalal Talabani (L) British Foreign
Minster Jack Straw
Photo: Reuters |
US aid threat
Correspondents say Mr Straw's second visit to
Baghdad in recent weeks illustrates UK and US
concern at the difficulties faced in forming a new
government.
He is also expected to echo a warning from a senior
US representative to cut aid to Iraq if the new
government includes politicians with a sectarian
bias.
On Monday, US ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said the
US would not continue to spend billions of dollars
to build up security forces run by people with a
sectarian agenda.
Mr Khalilzad said it was time for Iraqis to form a
government of national unity that was not dominated
by Shia Muslims and Kurds.
Shia leaders say they have the right to control key
offices in the government after winning 130 of the
275 seats in parliament in a vote on 15 December.
Sunni Arab leaders accuse the Shia-led interior
ministry of employing militias to oppress their
civilians under the guise of fighting the
insurgency.
Mainly Sunni insurgents have launched tens of
thousands of attacks on US forces, their allies and
targets associated with the new regime established
since the US overthrow of Saddam Hussein nearly
three years ago.
Video row
Mr Straw's arrival comes amid tensions between the
British and Iraqi authorities in the south of the
country.
Two regional councils have halted co-operation with
the British army after a video showed apparent abuse
of civilians by UK troops two years ago.
Mr Straw's spokesman said there were no plans on
this trip for the foreign secretary to visit Basra,
where British troops are on patrol.
Three soldiers have been questioned over the
pictures and UK military police have interviewed
four Iraqi youths.
The video was shot during a demonstration in Amara,
southern Iraq, in 2004.
www.bbc.co.uk
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