.Iraqi PM steps up pressure on Syria over militants
BAGHDAD (AP) - Iraq's prime minister on Wednesday stepped up pressure on Syria to hand over two suspects wanted in recent suicide attacks on government ministries in Baghdad.
The rising tension between Iraq and Syria, which led both countries to recall their ambassadors Tuesday, comes a week after blasts tore through the foreign, finance and defense ministries, killing more than 100 people and weakening confidence in the state's security forces.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who has tied his political success to the general improvement in Iraq's security over the past two years, has sought to deflect the blame by focusing on demands that Syria hand over two suspected members of Saddam Hussein's ousted Baath Party whom the government has linked to the attacks, along with al-Qaida in Iraq.
"We must declare war against those who are carrying out a political agenda and affiliated with foreign countries, despite the fact that we do not want to suspend our ties with these countries," al-Maliki said during a meeting with Shiite and Sunni tribal leaders.
The Aug. 19 attacks on the government ministries came only a day after al-Maliki visited Syria to press President Bashar Assad to hand over people suspected of links to insurgent attacks in his country and to stop fighters from crossing its border into northern Iraq.
Although that visit was meant to reinforce ties, diplomatic relations quickly deteriorated following the attacks. Iraq's deputy foreign minister, Labid Abbawi, summoned the most senior remaining Syrian diplomat in Baghdad, Bassam Haj Hassan, on Wednesday to explain why the government wanted the suspects handed over.
Hassan asked Abbawi to send a delegation to Damascus to present evidence to support the claims. Syria has said that without evidence, it would consider the allegations to be fabricated "for political goals."
The U.S. and Iraq have sought to shut down Sunni extremist networks smuggling weapons and fighters across Syria's border into Iraq's northern desert. The networks are fueling attacks in Mosul, north of Baghdad, where al-Qaida and other Sunni insurgents remain active.
American commanders have said there has been a decline in the number of foreign fighters crossing from Syria into Iraq, citing political pressure and beefed up security along the border.
But al-Maliki said Wednesday that militants receiving foreign and domestic support continue to pose a threat to Iraq by attempting to re-ignite sectarian warfare.
"Since this is the way to destroy the political process and the national unity government to preclude the return of Iraq," said al-Maliki.
An al-Qaida in Iraq front group has claimed responsibility for the ministry bombings, but the Iraqi government says Baathist operatives planned and financed the attacks and aired a televised confession from a man who identified the Iraqis in Syria.
Such links are politically explosive, particularly before January elections in Iraq.
The question of what to do with Saddam-era officials in the civil service, army and police has been at the heart of the Sunni-Shiite divide since the overthrow of Saddam's Sunni-dominated regime in 2003 and has been a major hurdle to national reconciliation efforts.
In a separate development Wednesday, Iraqis mourned the death of a revered Shiite leader, Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, who died after being hospitalized in critical condition in Tehran where he was being treated for lung cancer.
MyWay
The rising tension between Iraq and Syria, which led both countries to recall their ambassadors Tuesday, comes a week after blasts tore through the foreign, finance and defense ministries, killing more than 100 people and weakening confidence in the state's security forces.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who has tied his political success to the general improvement in Iraq's security over the past two years, has sought to deflect the blame by focusing on demands that Syria hand over two suspected members of Saddam Hussein's ousted Baath Party whom the government has linked to the attacks, along with al-Qaida in Iraq.
"We must declare war against those who are carrying out a political agenda and affiliated with foreign countries, despite the fact that we do not want to suspend our ties with these countries," al-Maliki said during a meeting with Shiite and Sunni tribal leaders.
The Aug. 19 attacks on the government ministries came only a day after al-Maliki visited Syria to press President Bashar Assad to hand over people suspected of links to insurgent attacks in his country and to stop fighters from crossing its border into northern Iraq.
Although that visit was meant to reinforce ties, diplomatic relations quickly deteriorated following the attacks. Iraq's deputy foreign minister, Labid Abbawi, summoned the most senior remaining Syrian diplomat in Baghdad, Bassam Haj Hassan, on Wednesday to explain why the government wanted the suspects handed over.
Hassan asked Abbawi to send a delegation to Damascus to present evidence to support the claims. Syria has said that without evidence, it would consider the allegations to be fabricated "for political goals."
The U.S. and Iraq have sought to shut down Sunni extremist networks smuggling weapons and fighters across Syria's border into Iraq's northern desert. The networks are fueling attacks in Mosul, north of Baghdad, where al-Qaida and other Sunni insurgents remain active.
American commanders have said there has been a decline in the number of foreign fighters crossing from Syria into Iraq, citing political pressure and beefed up security along the border.
But al-Maliki said Wednesday that militants receiving foreign and domestic support continue to pose a threat to Iraq by attempting to re-ignite sectarian warfare.
"Since this is the way to destroy the political process and the national unity government to preclude the return of Iraq," said al-Maliki.
An al-Qaida in Iraq front group has claimed responsibility for the ministry bombings, but the Iraqi government says Baathist operatives planned and financed the attacks and aired a televised confession from a man who identified the Iraqis in Syria.
Such links are politically explosive, particularly before January elections in Iraq.
The question of what to do with Saddam-era officials in the civil service, army and police has been at the heart of the Sunni-Shiite divide since the overthrow of Saddam's Sunni-dominated regime in 2003 and has been a major hurdle to national reconciliation efforts.
In a separate development Wednesday, Iraqis mourned the death of a revered Shiite leader, Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, who died after being hospitalized in critical condition in Tehran where he was being treated for lung cancer.
MyWay
posted by madtom at 7:13 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home