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Iraq’s top Shia cleric meets Sunni leader

Iraq’s top Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani met the country’s Sunni vice president on Thursday for the first time to discuss a new initiative aimed at uniting feuding politicians.

Deep sectarian rifts in Iraq have stymied decision making and hampered progress on key laws that Washington wants passed to help reconciliation between warring majority Shia and minority Sunni Arabs.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has lost around a dozen Sunni and Shia Arab inisters from his cabinet and has been left relying on a coalition of Kurdish parties in parliament.

Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, who heads the Sunni Islamic Party, met the reclusive Mr Sistani in the holy Shia city of Najaf in southern Iraq where he lives.

Mr Sistani rarely leaves his home and makes few public statements. But Mr Sistani sponsored Mr Maliki’s Shia alliance and is hugely influential among Iraq’s Shia.

Mr Hashemi stressed he had not asked Mr Sistani to put pressure on any Shia group to return to cabinet, saying the purpose of the meeting had been to discuss the new initiative, known as the Iraqi National Compact.

”The meeting was profound and many issues related to the political process were discussed,” Mr Hashemi told reporters after his meeting with the highly influential Shia cleric.

“I briefed his eminence on the Iraqi National Compact and he informed me he had already seen a copy and read, analysed and expressed his remarks on the initiative,” he said.

Mr Sistani’s office declined to comment on the meeting.

The Iraqi National Compact is a set of 25 political principles unveiled by Mr Hashemi’s party on Wednesday aimed at removing deep mistrust among politicians.

The compact is being distributed to political parties, senior clerics and neighbouring countries. Mr Hashemi said he had asked Mr Sistani for detailed comments on the principles.

FT.com / Home UK / UK - Iraq’s top Shia cleric meets Sunni leader

New light cast on Bush’s Iraq plans

A leaked transcript of talks between President George W. Bush and José Maria Aznar, former Spanish prime minister, has cast fresh light on the diplomatic wrangling that preceded the Iraq war.

Speaking in February 2003, a month before the invasion, Mr Bush told his Spanish counterpart that US forces would be in Baghdad by the end of March regardless of whether the United Nations authorised the use of force.

He also talked about punishing countries that failed to support a UN resolution backing the war and outlined an offer by Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi leader, to go into exile in return for $1bn, which he said the US would reject.

The White House on Thursday declined to comment in response to questions about the transcript, which was first reported this week in El País, the Spanish newspaper, but did not challenge the accuracy of the report.

“We have to get rid of Saddam,” Mr Bush told Mr Aznar in a meeting at the president’s Texas ranch, according to the transcript.

“In two weeks we will be ready militarily. We will be in Baghdad at the end of March.”

The meeting in question came as the US and its allies, including Spain and the UK, were lobbying the UN Security Council for a second resolution authorising military action if Saddam failed to disarm.

Mr Bush said Angola risked losing aid and that a proposed US trade deal with Chile could be blocked if the two countries, which both occupied Security Council seats at the time, failed to support the resolution.

The US eventually dropped its bid for a fresh resolution after it became clear it would be blocked.

Mr Bush told Mr Aznar he was playing a “good cop, bad cop” routine with Tony Blair, the then British prime minister. “I don’t mind being the bad cop if Blair is the good cop,” he said.

He predicted that the war would be won “without destruction” and said planning was under way for “post-Saddam Iraq”.

“I think there is a good basis for a better future,” he said. “Iraq has a good bureaucracy and a relatively robust civil society.”

Outlining contacts between Saddam and Egypt, Mr Bush said: “He’s indicated he would be prepared to go into exile if he’s allowed to take $1bn and all the information he wants about weapons of mass destruction.” Mr Bush ruled out such a deal, describing Saddam as “a thief, a terrorist, a war criminal”.

FT.com / In depth - New light cast on Bush’s Iraq plans

Iraqi Vice President Arrives in Damascus

Iraqi Vice President Dr. Adel Abdul-Mahdi started on Thursday an official visit to Syria during which he will hold talks on developments in the region and boosting the bilateral ties .

The Iraqi Vice President is heading a delegation including senior officials, advisors and technicians from different ministries and state's institutions.
Vice President Fraouk al-Shara received Dr. Abdul-Mahdi and the accompanying delegation at Damascus International Airport.

In a statement to reporters upon arrival, Abdul-Mahdi underlined depth of the historical ties between Syria and Iraq.

He indicated that these relations are boosted in all domains, expressing hope that ties will be improved for the better.

On situation in Iraq, Dr. Abdul-Mahdi said that Iraq is passing through difficult circumstances and will overcome them.

Iraqi Vice President Arrives in Damascus | Iraq Updates

Iraqi, Turkish officials to continue talks on security agreement through

Turkish assistant foreign minister Ertugrul Apakan said on Thursday that joint security talks between the visiting Iraqi delegation led by Interior Minister Jawad Bulani and his Turkish counterpart Bashir Ataly would continue through Friday.

Speaking to the Anadolu news agency, Apakan said the two sides would continue discussion of some points before a final statement was issued.
Turkish media said the two sides agreed that the security agreement would allow Turkish troops pursue Kurd separatists inside the Iraqi territories, a matter totally rejected by the Kurdish administration in northern Iraq.

Turkish media quoted Kurdish administration officials in Iraq as saying that they would stand against such a security agreements.

Iraqi, Turkish officials to continue talks on security agreement through | Iraq Updates

Saddam agreed to exile if he could take $1b - report

Less than a month before the US invasion of Iraq, Saddam Hussain signalled that he was willing to go into exile as long as he could take with him $1 billion and information on weapons of mass destruction, according to a report of a February 22, 2003, meeting between US President George W. Bush and his Spanish counterpart published by a Spanish newspaper.

The meeting at Bush's Texas ranch was a planning session for a final diplomatic push at the United Nations. The White House was preparing to introduce a tough new Security Council resolution to pressure Saddam, but most council members saw it as a ploy to gain their authorisation for war.

Spain's prime minister at the time, Jose Maria Aznar, expressed hope that war might be avoided - or at least supported by a UN majority - and Bush said that outcome would be "the best solution for us" and "would also save us $50 billion [about Dh183 billion]", referring to the initial US estimate of what the Iraq war would cost.

But Bush made it clear in the meeting that he expected to "be in Baghdad at the end of March". "It's like Chinese water torture," he said of the UN negotiations. "We've got to put an end to it."

White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe declined to comment on the report in El Pais, which also posted what it said was a leaked transcript of the meeting on its web site.

"We're more focused on the task at hand rather than 2003," Johndroe said. A senior administration official said he doubted the $1 billion claim - an offer reportedly transmitted through Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak - but said he could not be sure.

He said the general account of the meeting sounded plausible but did not offer details.

In the conversation, Aznar returned to the subject. "Is it true there's a possibility Saddam Hussain might go into exile?"

"Yes, it's possible," Bush responded. "It's also possible he could be assassinated." In any case, Bush said, there would be "no guarantee" for Saddam. "He's a thief, a terrorist and a war criminal. Compared to Saddam, [former Yugoslav president Slobodan] Milosevic would be a Mother Teresa."

"The only thing that worries me is your optimism," Aznar said. "I'm optimistic because I believe I'm right," Bush replied. "I'm at peace with myself."



DEFENCE

Tribal police hope to fight Al Qaida

Sunni shaikhs in Saddam Hussain's hometown Tikrit and in other regions north of Baghdad have begun forming tribal police units to combat Al Qaida, a senior US general said.

Major-General Benjamin Mixon said tribal "awakening" councils, where locals sign up to police their own communities, had begun to spread in his area of command.

- Reuters

Saddam agreed to exile if he could take $1b - report | Iraq Updates

Shara and al-Abrash Meet Iraqi Vice President, review situation in Iraq & bilateral relations

Vice President Farouk Al-Shara reviewed Thursday with Iraqi counterpart Dr. Adel Abdel Mahdi the situation in Iraq and the ongoing efforts to achieve the national reconciliation in addition to bilateral relations.

Shara, during the meeting, stressed on Iraq's unity, Arab and Islamic belonging and on the importance of restoring its security and maintaining its full sovereignty in the framework of the comprehensive national reconciliation.

Dr. Abdul Mahdi highly appreciated stances of Syria towards Iraq and embracing of the brotherly Iraqi refugees in extremely complex circumstances, asserting the need to strengthen bilateral relations between the two Syrian and Iraqi peoples and countries.

In the same context, Speaker of the People's Assembly Dr. Mahmoud al-Abrash reviewed with Dr. Abdul Mahdi and the accompanying delegation the bilateral relations and its development and the current events on the Arab arena.

Dr. al-Abrash stressed Syria's keenness on the unity, stability and sovereignty of Iraq and on achieving the national reconciliation among its different spectrums.

Shara and al-Abrash Meet Iraqi Vice President, review situation in Iraq & bilateral relations | Iraq Updates

Kurdish lawmaker: Iraqi-Turkish security agreement similar to those under Saddam’s regime

The Kurdish lawmaker and the Secretary General of the one Kurdish parties, Hizbi Zahmatkeshani Kurdistan, Qadir Aziz, stated that the security agreement between the Iraqi and the Turkish government is similar to the previous agreements between the ousted regime of Saddam Hussein and the Turkish government, which was always ended against Kurdish interest. Aziz was interview by Radio Nawa on Thursday.

Aziz stated that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) must take a stance on this agreement. However, the official spokesperson for the KRG informed Radio Nawa that his government has no awareness of the details of the agreement. That is why KRG cannot take any position on the agreement.

Aziz stated that Kurds do not see the PKK as an issue of an important part of Kurdistan, implying northern Kurdistan or Kurdistan part of Turkey. Aziz emphasised that this issue can only be solved with peaceful means.

A Turkish newspaper reported on a security agreement between the two country that gives the right to the Turkish authorities to attack the Kurdistan Regional Government or KRG.

The Kurdistani group is cooperating with the Iraqi government with over 50 MPs and a number of ministers, including the Foreign Minister.

Kurdish lawmaker: Iraqi-Turkish security agreement similar to those under Saddam’s regime | Iraq Updates

A federal Iraq on sectarian and ethnic basis rejected idea, says Syrian FM

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallim on Thursday said that the decision of the US Congress to divide the Republic of Iraq into a federal country based on a sectarian and ethnic basis is categorically a rejected idea.

In a statement to the Kuwaiti News Agency (KUNA) commenting on the non-binding draft resolution endorsed by the United States Congress yesterday, Muallim said: "We insist that Iraq will be a unified land and people." Responding to a question on the American initiative for the peace conference scheduled for next November in Washington, DC, and the invitation of Syria to participate, Muallim said, "Syria did no receive such an invitation".

Meanwhile, the Syrian foreign minister described Kuwaiti-Syrian relations as "excellent and brotherly", pointing out that there is a permanent and continuous coordination between the two countries at all levels.

A federal Iraq on sectarian and ethnic basis rejected idea, says Syrian FM | Iraq Updates

Trucks must unload cargo before entering Iraq

Foreign trucks on way to cross Iraqi borders must unload their cargo before being loaded once again into Iraqi vehicles, according to a new government ruling.

The decision makes it compulsory for custom officials and border guards at the country’s border crossings to force all incoming trucks to empty their cargo for inspection.

“Through this measure we will be able to uncover the trucks hiding weapons, explosive and even humans,” said Lt. Gen. Muhsen Lazem, commander of Iraqi border forces.

Lazem said the country’s crossings with its neighbors are being electronically monitored now and passengers finger-printed as they cross into Iraqi territory.

The government blames the raging anti-U.S. insurgency on what it describes as ‘foreign fighters’ who reportedly sneak into the country for attacks and suicide bombings.

Lazem said his troops have captured “a great number of forgers and people wanted by the authorities” particularly at the Waleed crossing with Syria.

“An Iraqi interior ministry delegation traveled to Syria and asked the authorities there to join us in inspecting cargo and passengers but no Syrian has turned up so far,” he said.

Currently Lazem has a force of 38,000 armed soldiers at his command whose major task is to guard Iraqi borders against smugglers and infiltrators.

Iraq is almost a landlocked country surrounded by five neighbors. Its border with Iran only stretches for more than 1,000 kilometers.
Lazem said his force was still poorly equipped and its movement highly restricted due to fuel shortages.

He said his requests for radars and helicopters have gone unheeded.
De****e the shortcomings, he said, his forces arrested 844 infiltrators of different nationalities last month and seized 287 weapons, 1,315 mines, 260 explosive belts and 32 explosive charges.

Trucks must unload cargo before entering Iraq | Iraq Updates

Parliament votes on two important laws, agrees on Japanese loan minutes

The Iraqi parliament has approved the pensionary rights of counselors and special-rank persons at the time the overwhelming majority of the MPs have agreed on draft of special law connected with the exchanging memorandum and talk minutes connected with the Japanese loan to Iraq.

The parliament discussed also the report of health commission concerning cholera epidemic.

Parliament votes on two important laws, agrees on Japanese loan minutes | Iraq Updates