Posted on 01/31/2005 11:58:54 AM PST by kattracks
BRUSSELS, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Iraq war opponents France, Germany and Russia on Monday hailed elections in the country as a success and, in a sign of warming transatlantic ties, pledged to back U.S. efforts to restore stability.In a greater than expected turnout, up to 8 million Iraqis cast ballots on Sunday, braving suicide bombs and mortar attacks by insurgents that killed 35 people.
Despite their concerns over the low turnout among minority Sunnis, European Union officials joined Washington in declaring the poll a success, three weeks before a Feb. 22 summit with President George W. Bush meant to relaunch Europe-U.S. ties.
President Jacques Chirac, who faced U.S. wrath for leading a diplomatic campaign against the war, told Bush by telephone the vote was "an important step in the political reconstruction of Iraq" and declared the turnout and organisation a success.
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said Berlin still believed it was right to have opposed the war but wanted to look to the future and what it could do to help in Iraq.
"The challenge of putting Iraq on a stable democratic footing is one we must all take on together -- within the political limits we have set," he told reporters in Brussels, reaffirming Germany's refusal to send troops to Iraq.
In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the election as "a step in the right direction" and told ministers at a government session to work for Iraq's future stability.
Paris, Berlin and Moscow were dubbed the "non-nein-nyet coalition" for opposing the U.S.-led war in the U.N. Security Council. The subsequent diplomatic chill has been described as the worst crisis in transatlantic ties since World War Two.
But Americans and Europeans are readying a reconciliation they hope will be sealed when Bush visits NATO and the EU next month in the first foreign visit of his second term.
SUNNI ROLE
Last week the EU Commission offered to pump a further 200 million euros ($260 million) into the Iraqi economy. The EU also expects to approve by Feb. 22 a plan to train some 700-800 senior Iraqi police officers and magistrates a year.
"We regret nothing ... (but) we are looking ahead," French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier told French radio Europe 1 of a stance which reflects a gradual improvement in relations with Washington since the peak of the row nearly two years ago.
While overall turnout was put at around 60 percent, many polling stations were deserted in the parts of the Sunni Arab heartland where the insurgency has been bloodiest.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said it was vital that the Sunnis -- who make up just 20 percent of the population but had a privileged role under ousted leader Saddam Hussein -- had a say in constructing Iraq's new democracy.
"All the different factions and different sensitivities should participate in the drafting of the constitution," he told Reuters in an interview, referring to a document to be drawn up later this year ahead of new elections scheduled for December.
(Additional reporting by Marie-Louise Moller and Carsten Lietz in Brussels, Emmanuel Jarry and Elisabeth Pineau in Paris and Richard Balmforth in Moscow)
looks like those who wouldnt' help plant the wheat, harvest the wheat, make the bread or bake the bread are bellying up to the table to EAT the bread.
Wow, isn't this, like, BIG!
The Three Stooges are alive and well.
I know Kennedy doesn't give a crap what anybody outside of Boston thinks about him, but Effin Kerry must already realize that he stuck his foot in his mouth again.
Look for some "Me too!" reluctant praise to be emanating straight from the horse's mouth in the next day or two.
"EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said it was vital that the Sunnis -- who make up just 20 percent of the population but had a privileged role under ousted leader Saddam Hussein -- had a say in constructing Iraq's new democracy. "
---
Close. What was vital was that they have already had a CHANCE to have had a say in constucting Iraq's new democracy. It is worth noting that the Shiites under their power NEVER had such an opportunity. It is too bad if they have squandered away some of the influence they might have had, or allowed others to squander it away for them. At this point they have to pray that the winner's of the elction will deal with them fairly, unlike the way they did when they were in power. They can't have it both ways.
Bush will make the liberals wait out in the cold with their faces pressed up against the window watching the victors divy the political bounty of a bold and just foreign policy.
Just like with Reagan, the liberals are chasing history.
THEY WERE WRONG AGAIN. (Zell)
Our elected POTUS keeps making them look like the foolish leaders that they are, were and always will be.
Positive news from the foreign front, unlike the domestic front where the Democrats are giving only faint praise and moving the bar by asking what and when is our exit strategy.
Well, seems to me that it was the choice of the Sunnis not to vote.
Sheesh!
Remember The Little Red Hen?
No, it's hugh.
to compare those extraordinary performers, the Three Stooges to the corrupt, hypocritical regimes of france, germany and russia is an insult to the memory of Moe, Larry and Curly, not to mention Shemp and Curly-Joe!
oh yeah.
Whew! I lost quite a bit of sleep worryin if Jack was going to approve of the Iraq vote!
/sarcasm (in case you couldn't figure thatone out :) )
Godspeed
Yippee! The corrupt cowards give their approval.
Guess what? I think we've proved we don't need these countries to provide aid for Tsumami's or to Liberate a people sparking a hopeful domino effect of freedom throughout the middle east. They need US.
Even better, they NEED the Iraqi's. Now that the money pipeline has been shutdown, if they want to get in on the coming profits as Iraq begins to stabilize over the long term they are going to have to apply to the very people they made their blood money on. I hope the Iraqi's bleed them dry.
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.