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| Iraq |
| Iraq Conference Adopts Five-Year Rescue Plan |
| 2007-05-04 |
| A key international conference on Iraq security yesterday overwhelmingly adopted a five-year plan aimed at rescuing the war-ravaged country from chaos and bankruptcy. But the wide-ranging commitment to the so-called “International Compact” at the Egyptian resort was overshadowed by rare meetings between US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Syria and Iran foreign ministers. Rice said she raised the issue of foreign fighters entering Iraq from Syria in talks with Syria’s foreign minister yesterday, the first high-level meeting in years between the two countries. Rice described her half hour of talks with Syria’s Walid Muallem as “professional” and “businesslike.” Before that Rice had a brief exchange with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki over lunch, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said. “There was an exchange of some words, yes. They are civilized people after all,” said Abul Gheit. “There was an opportunity to talk about the problem of foreign fighters — a major source of the suicide bombings. I thought it was a good opportunity to talk to the foreign minister about it,” Rice told reporters after the meeting with Muallem. “I didn’t lecture him and he didn’t lecture me,” Rice said. The top US diplomat said she was not seeking a similar meeting with Iran’s foreign minister. Despite yesterday’s brief encounter being empty of political substance, it was believed to reflect a new willingness on the part of Washington and Tehran to engage in some form of dialogue. Meanwhile. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said the Kingdom has been watching the deteriorating situation in Iraq with deep concern. He said: “Strengthening the pillars of Iraq’s security and stability requires uprooting violence and terrorism besides the revival of the state’s institutions.” Prince Saud affirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to provide $1 billion to aid Iraq’s reconstruction. The Saudi Development Fund has been making contacts with the Iraqi officials in this respect. The Kingdom is willing to ease the repayment of debts by Iraq in view of the difficult time it is passing through currently, the prince said. “Saudi Arabia will tackle the issue of debts in line with the principles agreed on at Paris International Club,” the prince said. The Saudi private sector has shown readiness to participate in the reconstruction of Iraq in concert with other countries as and when the suitable circumstances arise, the prince added. The prince underlined the importance of extricating Iraq from its turmoil so that it enables to preserve its unity, independence and sovereignty. “Saudi Arabia has been maintaining its stand of keeping equal distance from all Iraqis with no discrimination or differentiation among them, irrespective of their religious and ethnic differences, and it has been adhering to the principle of nonintervention in its domestic affairs. We want the same policy from all others particularly its neighboring countries,” he said. The prince assured that Saudi Arabia would continue to extend humanitarian assistance to Iraq, Saudi Press Agency reported. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 The Saudis are like the large US corporations who hedge their bets by contributing to candidates from both major parties. |
| Posted by: doc 2007-05-04 20:54 |