|
US president George Bush applauds Iraqi
leaders for new deal
28.8.2007
|
|
|
|
August 28, 2007
Albuquerque, -- President Bush on Monday
applauded what he called a promising sign of
political progress by Iraqi leaders who said they
had found common ground on some issues standing in
the way of reconciliation.
The meeting Sunday brought Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
together with fellow Shiite Vice President Adil
Abdul-Mahdi, Sunni Arab Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi,
the head of the northern autonomous Kurdistan region
Massoud Barzani and President Jalal Talabani, who is
also a Kurd.
"These leaders ... recognize the true and meaningful
reconciliation that needs to take place," Bush said
in a brief statement upon his arrival at
Albuquerque. "They recognize this is a process.
Yesterday's agreement reflects their commitment to
work together for the benefit of all Iraqis to
further the process."
"The agreement begins to establish new power-sharing
agreements, commits to supporting bottom-up security
and political initiatives, and advances agreement
among Iraq's leadership on several key legislative
benchmarks," Bush said in a brief statement upon
arriving in Albuquerque. |
U.S. President George W. Bush J. |
"I reminded them, and they understand, much more
needs to be done," Bush said. He added that it will
be up to the Iraqi parliament to make the new
agreements law when the legislature reconvenes in
early September.
The Iraqi leaders said they agreed on some issues
that the U.S. has set as benchmarks for progress,
among them holding provincial elections, releasing
prisoners held without charge and changing the law
preventing many former members of Saddam Hussein's
Baath Party from holding government jobs and elected
office.
But no details were released and committees must
hash out final versions of legislation to be
presented to the Iraqi parliament. Iraqi officials
have announced similar deals in the past, only to
have them fall apart.
Bush's statement came after a week of tense
exchanges between Washington and Baghdad surrounding
the struggles of Maliki's government, calls by two
key senators for Maliki to step down and what was
widely construed as a less-than -enthusiastic Bush
statement in reaction to Maliki's problems.
The Bush White House later put out a statement
seeking to play down reports of administration
disenchantment with Maliki, saying the president
continues to support him.
AP
Top |
Kurd Net
does not take credit for and is not responsible for the content of news
information on this page
|
® 