The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani with Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa at the Arab and International Relations Council meeting in Kuwait yesterday. The two-day meeting will discuss the general framework of the Council and its objectives, in addition to the adoption of its internal regulations and the conditions of membership. The Council aims to form an Arab civil society organisation dealing with foreign policy to help decision-makers. The Prime Minister separately held talks with the Emir of Kuwait, H H Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, and Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al Mohammad Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah. Talking about Iran’s first nuclear power plant in Bushehr, the prime minister said that “It is an Iranian issue.” If it is for the peaceful use of energy, then it is the legitimate right of Iran, he added. ________
August 24, 2010
Iraq's ex-PM reiterates call for early formation of gov''t
KUWAIT, Iraqi former interim prime minister and head of the Iraqiya List Ayad Allawi highlighted Tuesday the importance of stepping up the efforts to form a new government for his country at an early date, appreciating Kuwait's support in this direction.
"The Iraqi people is in an unenviable position (due to the lack of a representative government)," he told reporters on the fringe of the Conference of the Arab-International Relations Council which opened here last night.
Allawi expressed hope that the ongoing dialogue among the leading parliamentary blocs would follow the due normal course in order for creating a powerful government capable of shouldering its responsibilities.
Meanwhile, he cautioned against hasty and unplanned formation which he said "will not serve the interests of Iraq." Asked whether the United Nations could impose a government system on Iraq, he said: "The UN has no executive force enough to do such a mission in Iraq." "Though the United States represents such a force, it's unlikely to interfere in the cabinet formation," he made clear.
Asserting the legitimate right of his alliance, as the major winner in the last March legislative elections, to form a government, he said the leader of the State of Law Alliance incumbent Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki led "a fragmented and unclear alliance which has no single viable candidate (for premiership)."
As for the security situation in the country after the pullout of the US combat forces Allawi said Iraq was not prepared for the pullout as it was still undergoing numerous problems in the security, military and political domains.
The bulk of the 50,000-strong US non-combat force now stationed in Iraq will leave by the end of 2011, Allawi pointed out.
"The responsibility for protecting Iraq's security and stability is an Iraqi one in the first place but it cannot be shouldered without a regional backing," he underscored.
Commenting on recent reports that the United States and Iran as well as some neighboring countries meddle in the formation of the government, he said: "I've no idea about the interference in the affairs by countries other than Iran." "I learnt that Iran vetoes against some candidates for premiership. I knew that Iran opposes Ayad Allawi's leading the incoming government," he disclosed.
Dealing with the Kuwaiti-Iraqi ties, he criticized the remarks made recently by some Iraqi officials against Kuwait, calling for ignoring such "groundless exaggerations." "The State of Kuwait is a sovereign country which is held in high esteem by the Iraqi side. We'll do our utmost to improve the bilateral ties," he pledged.
Allawi appreciated Kuwait's keenness for the stability and security of his country as shown in the recent message for the Iraqi people by His Highness the Kuwaiti Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. "In his explicit message, HH the Amir urged the Iraqis to join hands and form a government which is representative of all the walks of life in the country without exception in order to stabilize the country," he recalled.
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