Al-Iraqiyah TV Updates Political, Security Developments in Iraq 26 November

Within its 1700 gmt newscast on 26 November, Baghdad Al-Iraqiyah Television in Arabic carries the following report:

“Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and US President George Bush have signed a declaration of principles on bilateral ties, cooperation, and long-term friendship. The prime minister said that this agreement is expected to support Iraq at the regional and domestic levels.”

The channel cites Al-Maliki saying: “What President Bush and I signed today is just a declaration of principles and intentions to reflect our desire to have such a relationship that enables us to remove Iraq from Chapter VII [of the UN Charter] as well as to end the presence of the Multinational Force in 2008. When negotiated and implemented, the agreement will address political, economic, and security files. I can speak a little bit about the broad principles that the coming talks, which will view the agreement, will include. At the political and diplomatic levels, the agreement will support the Iraqi Government’s endeavours to protect the democratic system in Iraq against the domestic and foreign threats. In addition, the agreement calls for respecting and preserving the Constitution as a document embodying the will of the Iraqi people, and for firmly facing any attempt to hinder, suspend, or ignore the Constitution. A third point is supporting the Iraqi Government’s efforts to bring about a genuine national reconciliation, including the 26 August 2006 statement released by the political forces. The fourth point is supporting the Republic of Iraq to enhance its presence at international and regional institutions, forums, and organizations so that it can play a positive and constructive role at the regional and international levels.”

The channel then carries a live telephone interview with “Ambassador Sadiq al-Rikabi, political adviser to the prime minister.”

Al-Rikabi says: “What made us take up such a dialogue is the changes taking place in Iraq. Since 2003, things in Iraq have been changing at all levels. Such changes must reflect on the way the international community deals with Iraq. I am sorry to say that since 1990 Iraq has been under abnormal international circumstances. It is still viewed as a source of threat to international security and stability. The UN Security Council still deals with Iraq in accordance with Chapter VII, from which the Multinational Force receives its mandate. Iraq must not be treated like this any more by the international community as it has now become a constitutional, democratic and sovereign state. Therefore, the international community must change the way it views Iraq. This dark era of Iraq’s history must end. This is why we went into talks with the United States to regulate our relations with it and to secure its support to help Iraq end this abnormal international treatment. Given these conditions, the real achievement that Iraq can make is to restore full sovereignty over its waters and territories; regain control of its airspace; and recover its status at the international level as a state contributing to international peace and stability, rather than as a state posing a threat.”

“All the Iraqi constitutional institutions are involved in this declaration. Although a declaration like this falls under the power of the prime minister and the government, the prime minister was careful to involve all the constitutional institutions, including the Political Council for National Security, the Presidency Council, and the Iraqi Parliament. Therefore, all Iraqi forces must participate in this declaration, which paves the way for talks between both countries. This is, indeed, a national issue,” he adds.

Originally published by Al-Iraqiyah TV, Baghdad, in Arabic 1700 26 Nov 07.

(c) 2007 BBC Monitoring Middle East. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.