Baghdad conference a chance to stabilize Iraq - British ambassador

March 9, 2007

The British ambassador to Iraq said on Thursday that the upcoming conference in Baghdad, next Saturday, will be a chance for Iraq's neighboring countries to end their support of armed groups, which aim to foil the ongoing political process.

"The conference will be a chance for the Iraqi government to show its policies and ability to its neighboring countries," Dominic Asquith told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).

"It is a chance to solve all problems," he added. 

"Preserving Iraq's security and stability is something that concerns all neighboring countries," the ambassador noted.

Regarding Iran's problems with the U.S. and Britain, the ambassador noted that the conference will only tackle Iraq's problems, "and all countries have to realize the importance of cooperation for achieving peace and security in Iraq." 

He stressed that "Iran must stop providing armed groups with weapons, which are being used in attacks against Multi-National forces."

"All neighboring countries have to realize that they are dealing with a legitimate and sovereign government," he noted, highlighting that the presence of Multi-National forces in Iraq is due to Iraqi government's desire for their presence. 

He also refused to comment on the incursion, a few days ago, by British forces into an intelligence building in Basra belonging to the Iraqi interior ministry.

However he acknowledged a disagreement between the political parties in Basra and other southern provinces and the British forces. 

Iraqi army troops and British forces, at dawn on Sunday, stormed the intelligence headquarters in Basra, 600km south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, and freed more than 30 captives there.

The conference is to be held in Baghdad, with the participation of Iraq's neighboring countries, Egypt, Bahrain, the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), the Arab League and the Security Council's five permanent members, to seek a means of restoring regional stability.

The conference also seeks to lend support to the ongoing political process in Iraq.