Posted on 11/01/2003 10:15:35 AM PST by Rams82
Last Updated: Saturday, 1 November, 2003, 14:28 GMT
E-mail this to a friend Printable version
Iraqi minister boycotts Syria talks
Guerrilla-style attacks have caused much bloodshed in post-war Iraq Syria is hosting a two-day meeting of Middle Eastern countries to discuss the situation in US-occupied Iraq - but the Iraqi interim foreign minister has refused to attend. Hoshyar Zebari said that the way the invitation to the Damascus meeting was offered to him was not in keeping with Iraq's dignity.
He added that Iraq would not be bound by any agreements reached at the conference, which is expected to focus on the mounting violence within Iraq.
The Syrian Government had agreed to invite Mr Zebari only after Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait - all US allies - threatened to boycott the meeting if Iraq was not represented.
It is unclear whether these three countries will now attend the meeting.
Ministers from Egypt, Turkey and Iran have also been invited to the meeting.
'Impossible'
Syria had originally wanted the Iraqi foreign minister to come to Damascus at the end of the meeting, in order to be told what had been decided.
POST-WAR: KEY EVENTS
1 May: Bush declares 'major combat' over 13 July: Iraqi Governing Council appointed 22 July: Saddam Hussein's sons Uday and Qusay killed 19 August: UN special representative Sergio Vieira de Mello among 20 killed in attack on UN HQ in Baghdad 29 August: leading Shia Muslim politician Ayatollah Mohammed Baqr al-Hakim among 80 killed in bombing in Najaf 27 October: Dozens killed in Baghdad bombings, including attack on Red Cross HQ 1 November: 122 US soldiers killed since 1 May (114 killed during war)
Source of attacks unclear US weighs options In what was regarded as a face-saving compromise, the Iraqi foreign minister was to be invited to join the meeting after a short informal session without him.
But on Saturday, Mr Zebari told a news conference in the Iraqi capital Baghdad: "In the absence of a frank and clear invitation from the Syrian Government for Iraq to participate in the Damascus meeting, it is impossible to take part".
Syria has been extremely reluctant to have any formal dealings with the American-appointed Iraqi Governing Council.
The BBC's Heba Saleh says that other Middle Eastern governments, even if they are opposed to the occupation of Iraq, argue that undermining the governing council will only hold up the departure of the Americans.
Iraqi officials have been quoted as saying that they want neighbouring countries to better patrol their borders to prevent the infiltration of foreign Islamic militants into the country.
They also want their neighbours to share security information, and to hand over elements from the regime of former leader Saddam Hussein who might be plotting attacks.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.