November 25, 2005

THE FINAL COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE CAIRO CONFERENCE ON IRAQ STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF A GRADUAL WITHDRAWAL OF FOREIGN FORCES FROM IRAQ BASED ON A TIMETABLE. A MESSAGE FROM THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES DELIVERED TO PRESIDENT AL-ASSAD BY PRINCE BANDAR IBN SULTAN. PRINCE BANDAR IBN SULTAN REVIEWS THE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE REGION WITH PRESIDENT CHIRAC. "Participants in the preparatory meeting of the Iraqi reconciliation conference highlighted the importance of Iraq's integrity," the meeting's final communique said Monday November 22. The statement underlined commitment to Iraq's sovereignty, freedom and independence and rejected interference in the country's domestic affairs. The will of the Iraqi people and their right to self-determination "Participants in the preparatory meeting of the Iraqi people should be respected, the statement said. Meanwhile, a gradual withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq based on a timetable was called for. "A national program should be laid down immediately to help rebuild a powerful Iraqi army capable of establishing control over the security situation, and ending terrorist operations by taking into consideration UNSC Resolutions 1564 / 2004 and 1637 / 2005," the statement said. Within this context, the statement condemned terrorism and violence which target civilians and humanitarian and governmental institutions. The final communiqué of the Iraqi preparatory meeting said that the Iraqi people were looking forward to the day when foreign forces withdraw and an Iraqi army and police are built. The statement called for releasing all innocent detainees, investigating into torture claims and putting the perpetrators on trial. It voiced respect for the stances adopted by all Iraqi factions and pressed for more participation in the coming elections. "The attendees welcomed the Arab League initiative on holding the Iraqi national reconciliation conference and affirmed their keenness on rendering the conference a success," added the statement. "The participants in the Iraqi preparatory meeting urged Arab countries to write-off Iraq's debts," the final communiqué said. "They also pressed for more Arab diplomatic representation in Iraq, more humanitarian relief aid and a more effective Arab role in rebuilding the country," the statement added. It called for further control of borders to prevent elements from infiltrating Iraqi borders. The attendees affirmed their support for the Palestinian people's struggle and their just right to the establishment of a sovereign state with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital. According to the statement, the parties agreed on holding the Iraqi national reconciliation conference late February or early March 2006 at the latest. The conference agenda will be based on the expanding political process to include all factions. Meanwhile Arab League Secretary General Amree Moussa said, that the preparatory meeting of the Iraqi reconciliation conference succeeded by 70 percent in solving differences among Iraqi factions. Addressing a news conference following the end of the three-day meeting, Moussa said he cannot say that all differences were solved. All participants had earlier rejected all the topics on the agenda of the meeting, but later they praised these topics arid then partially accepted them. This is a progress, Moussa underlined. The meeting achieved its targets and this is a first step on the road to Iraqi reconciliation, he said. Moussa said the meeting did not address all Iraqi concerns, but some of the most important of these and has sought to bring closer the views of the various factions. "The AL will be there in Iraq, side by side with the UN to follow up the implementation of Iraq reconciliation conference resolutions," he said. The final communiqué highlighted resistance as a legitimate right, drawing a clear-cut distinction between resistance and terror. An AL delegate is due in Iraq soon to attend the inauguration of an AL office in the war-ravaged country and to follow up the implementation on the ground of the preparatory meetings' resolutions. The Arab League Secretary-General Amree Moussa called for regional and international help to Iraq. In remarks at the national reconciliation conference, Moussa said "Protecting Iraq against the danger of slipping toward sedition or civil infighting is in the best interest of the Arabs ... . It's also a Turkish, Iranian and international interest," he said. "No one will gain anything by transforming Iraq into a battleground for regional and international conflicts and tensions," he said. "This will not happen without everyone's help to Iraq until it regains its freedom, independence and its full sovereignty on its land and resources and so that the political process can widen to embrace the demands of everyone and win their confidence," Moussa added. On his part, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, rejected the inclusion of insurgents or Saddam Hussein loyalists in the country's political process and declared the insurgency was only delaying the day that U.S.-led forces would withdraw, leaving Iraq as a country with "complete sovereignty and independence." In an address, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said Iraq was at a turning point. "Iraq now is at cross roads and the future of Iraq will depend on national accord that you'll shape with open minds and hearts, that raise above sects, and religious and racial identity." The top U.N. envoy to Iraq, Ashraf Qazi, read a message from Secretary-General Kofi Annan, urging all sides to work toward dialogue and peace. "I hope that this preparatory meeting will help the Iraqi sides to agree on the steps needed to realize mutual confidence and a mutual feeling of responsibility. ... I want to reiterate the full support of the United Nations to a comprehensive and transparent political process that meets the demands of the Iraqis," Annan's statement said. Moussa invited about 100 Iraqi leaders to the gathering, which aims to prepare for a full reconciliation conference to be held in Iraq _ probably in January. The Arab Ministerial Committee in-charge of the Iraqi affairs, concluded its deliberations. The Saudi delegation to the Committee's meeting was led by Prince Saud Al-Faisal , the Foreign Minister. The meeting was also attended by foreign ministers of Egypt, Iraq, Algeria, Jordan, Bahrain, Syria and Kuwait. Arab League's Secretary General Amree Mousa, who also attended the meeting, briefed the members of the Committee on the latest arrangements made for holding a preparatory meeting for the conference of Iraq's national reconciliation. The preparatory meeting was opened in Cairo in the presence of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his Iraqi Counterpart Jalal Al-Talbani. On arrival, Prince Saud Al-Faisal was received at Cairo International Airport by Saudi ambassador to Egypt Hisham Mohyeddin Nazer and Saudi Arabia's permanent delegate to the Arab league Ahmed Kattan. Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa said that the preparatory meeting on Iraq's national reconciliation conference heralds national reconciliation in Iraq. In his speech at the inaugural session of the meeting, Moussa noted that a national reconciliation would be Iraq's threshold to a safe political process that would lead its people to a new and better future. He noted that "today is a historic day for Iraq since all Iraqi factions are represented at a meeting that is paving the way for an all-out reconciliation conference with a view to attaining Iraq's unity". Arabs would like to see a strong Iraq that adds to their power, said Moussa, noting that Arabism was the real buoy for Iraq so that it can reach safe shores in today's ever-changing world. Safety and security cannot be attained in the presence of foreigners, whether armies or alliances, said Moussa. Arab League Secretary General Amre Moussa condemned all hostilities perpetrated against innocent civilians in Iraq. Moussa noted that protecting Iraq against sectarian sedition or civil war is in the best interests of all Arab countries. It is also in the interest of Iran, Turkey and many other countries to keep Iraq away of seditions and wars, said Moussa, adding that nobody would benefit from turning Iraq into a ground for regional and international conflicts. On the other hand the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz sent a message to Syria's President Bashar Al-Assad dealing with the latest developments in the region and bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries. The message was delivered to the Syrian President during his meeting with Prince Bandar Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Secretary General of the National Security Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. On the other hand as Detlev Mehlis prepares to return to Lebanon within the "next few days," Damascus continues to study the details of a meeting between its envoy and the UN's lead investigator. Sources close to the UN probe told The Daily Star Sunday night that Mehlis "is expected to arrive in Beirut very soon," within "the next few days." Mehlis met with the Syrian Foreign Ministry's legal adviser Riad Daoudi in Barcelona. The two officials tried to reach a settlement on the location for the questioning of six Syrian officials, including Syrian President Bashar Assad's brother-in-law Assef Shawkat, regarding the assassination of former Lebanese Premier Rafiq Hariri. So far Syria has kept the minutes of the meeting secret, but Damascus has openly refused to allow its officers to be questioned in Lebanon, instead proposing UN headquarters in Syria or Arab League headquarters in Cairo as possible alternatives. "Damascus is studying the discussions the two men had," a Syrian Foreign Ministry source told AFP without elaborating. Lebanon's Premier Fouad Siniora said his country had no objection to "questioning these officers outside Lebanon." Sources within the Lebanese government revealed that the premier called UN chief Kofi Annan to inform the latter it would be best if the Syrian officers were questioned "somewhere outside Lebanon." Security sources had previously disclosed the main alternative venues being considered as "Germany, Switzerland, Cyprus or Turkey." Meanwhile sources told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that Prince Bandar Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Secretary General of the Saudi National Security Council has held a closed session of talks with the French President Jacques Chirac after which he left the Elysees. Prince Bandar had met in Damascus with the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. According to the sources Paris called on Damascus not to delay the process and to speed up cooperation with the investigation regarding the killing of the late Prime Minister Rafiq Al-Hariri.