Print

Mail

wiki links

US holds talks with Syria, Iran

US officials sat down with their Iranian and Syrian counterparts yesterday at a conference in Baghdad aimed at stopping sectarian fighting in Iraq before the conflict spreads throughout the oil-rich region.

Iraq called the meeting to enlist regional support to stop the violence that has racked Baghdad and other parts of the country since the US-led invasion four years ago that toppled Saddam Hussein.

The one-day conference brought together mid-level officials from Iraq's neighbors, the permanent UN Security Council members -- the US, Russia, China, Britain and France -- and Arab countries. There were 16 delegations in all.

Attention was likely to be focused on the US sitting down with Syria and Iran, both accused by Washington of fuelling the Iraq war by supporting either Sunni insurgents or Shiite militias. Iran and Syria deny the charges.

"We do not want Iraq to be the battleground to settle scores for other countries and for them to settle their scores with the US here at our expense," Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said in an interview on Friday.

President George W. Bush said the US message to Damascus and Tehran would be clear at the conference.

"Our message to the Syrians and Iranians won't change at that meeting ... we expect you [Syria and Iran] to help this young democracy," he said.

The US would "defend ourselves and the people in Iraq from weapons shipped in to cause harm," he added.

As delegates started to trickle in, the flags of the delegations were arrayed on the podium of the conference hall, the Stars and Stripes of the US next to Russia's flag, a discreet distance from those of Iran and Syria.

While the conference seeks ways to provide regional support for the Iraqi government, it comes against a background of increasing US-Iranian tension over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

Washington has led international efforts to impose tougher sanctions on Iran over its refusal to stop enriching uranium, which could be used for nuclear weapons, and has accused Iran of backing Shiite militias in southern Iraq. Tehran denies both.

"For us to succeed in our security plan and political plan, we need a viable, conducive regional environment," Zebari said. "We need to ensure that our neighbors would play a constructive role, or at least not to hinder our efforts."

Washington, which has no diplomatic relations with Iran, has had contacts with Iranian officials in group settings, including as recently as September, but has resisted bilateral talks.

The US has diplomatic relations with Syria but withdrew its ambassador to Damascus in early 2005 and has not had high-level contacts for the past two years.

Zebari said Iraq could also help bring foes together.

"Despite Iraq's current difficulties, it is capable of helping its neighbors by providing this forum," he said.

Iraq urged Iran and Syria to halt their alleged support for violent extremists yesterday, as insurgent attacks slaughtered at least 35 Iraqis.

The urgency of the appeal was underlined when, in a suspected insurgent attack, three mortar rounds detonated next to the foreign ministry, where the talks were taking place.

Meanwhile, 3km away in Shiite east Baghdad, a bomber slammed a truck laden with explosives into an army checkpoint at the entrance to Sadr City, killing 26 people, officials said.
This story has been viewed 1471 times.