US Iraq envoy says national gov’t brings stability

By Suleiman al-Khalidi

AMMAN (Reuters) – A strong voice for Arab Sunnis in Iraq’s
unity government will usher political stability and defuse
violence by militants behind a raging insurgency, the U.S.
ambassador to Iraq said on Tuesday.

Zalmay Khalilzad said he was heartened by President Jalal
Talabani’s recent talks with several rebel groups and the Iraqi
leader’s confidence about forging a deal to “lay down their
arms to reintegrate them into Iraq’s new democratic process.”

Nationalist insurgent groups, however, say only an American
commitment to begin a withdrawal could bring a scaling down of
insurgent attacks and eventual stability.

“The formation of a government of national unity will set
the stage for efforts to diminish violence,” Ambassador
Khalilzad told reporters on the sidelines of an investment
conference on Iraq in Amman.

“Iraq is strategically heading in the right direction now.”

Khalilzad, a chief player in U.S. and Iraqi efforts to draw
Sunni insurgents and militants away from rebellion into the
political process, said Sunnis were well represented in the
parliament elected in December.

“Therefore it’s my judgment strategically that this puts
Iraq on the right track for the people who call themselves the
resistance to lay down their arms to participate in the
political process,” he said.

The U.S. is counting on a national unity government, that
Prime Minister-designate Nuri al-Maliki says may be formed this
week, as the best way to avert a sectarian civil war.

“There can be no legitimate armed opposition once a
permanent government in which Sunni Arab leaders have a vital
role is in place,” Khalilzad said.

He cited progress in ending months of wrangling over the
defense and interior ministries.

“I think there is broad agreement that the minister of
defense and the minister of interior have to be independent
people who are unifiers and who do not have ties to militias
and are above politics,” Khalilzad said.

Prime Minister-designate al-Maliki said all parliamentary
blocs involved in talks had agreed that these two posts should
go to people not associated with parties running armed wings.

“I think this is what is needed in order to increase
confidence in the security institutions and increase trust of
the Iraqi people in their security forces,” the U.S. envoy
said.