BRUSSELS: The fledgling government of Iraq won a rhetorical show of support — but few concrete offers of help — at an international conference on Wednesday attended by diplomats from more than 80 nations and international organizations.
The conclave underscored the tremendous challenges faced by the Iraqi government as it seeks to write a constitution, strengthen its economy and battle an insurgency that kills dozens of people every week. The conference, sponsored by the United States and the European Union, was designed to bolster the new Shia-led Iraqi government, which has tense relations with its mostly Sunni neighbors and has received only a fraction of $13 billion in aid pledged at another conference nearly two years ago. Shi’ite and Sunni Arabs agree on Iraq committee
Sunni Arabs make up about 20 per cent of Iraq’s 26 million population and Shias around 60 per cent. Kurds, who are predominantly Sunni, make up about 15-20 per cent and the remainder is Christian or from other smaller sects.
The conference was also intended to show that the transAtlantic rift over the war has largely dissipated and that Europe has a stake in the successful reconstruction of the country. “A democratic process is taking place that is vital for us, whether you were against the war or not,” German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said.
However, Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, whose country currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency, called for a “truly central role” for the UN in Iraq, citing “the legitimacy which this body embodies, its impartiality and its expertise.”
Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari told the assembled diplomats that “we want to achieve economic and political independence and raise the competence of our security forces without turning into a security state.”
Egypt announced it would send an ambassador to Baghdad, making it the first Arab country to appoint such a high-level diplomat. The reluctance of Iraq’s other Arab neighbours to send ambassadors — officially because of security concerns — has rankled US officials, who believe the real reason is suspicion of Shia leaders who dominate the government.
Rice, in her statement, also urged Iraq’s neighbours, especially Syria, to “secure their borders from those who seek to destroy Iraq’s progress.”
Iraq is burdened with tens of billions of dollars in debt accumulated by the government of military dictator Saddam Hussein. Before the conference, officials had hoped that some of the countries attending — particularly Saudi Arabia, which holds $30 billion — would indicate they were prepared to forgive much of that debt. But little progress was achieved.—Dawn/LAT-WP News Service
