March 10, 2010

Overview

 

Political: After Sunday’s (March-7) parliamentary elections in Iraq, UN officials said Wednesday (March-10) that initial results would likely be released by Thursday (March-11) as electoral officials said they needed at least one more day to reach the 30 percent threshold to declare preliminary results, Reuters reported.  Iraqi security forces, being solely responsible for security, interrupted various violent attempts to disrupt elections, and by the end of the critical day, at least 39 people were killed. CNN reported US Gen. Ray Odierno, the top US military commander in Iraq, saying most of the casualties on Sunday resulted from a single incident when bombers collapsed an apartment building in Baghdad, portraying overall security on Election Day as good. Ad Melkert, the UN special representative to Iraq, told a news conference that the tallying of votes was proceeding at a good pace and results would probably be announced on Thursday.  Although a decisive victory by any political coalition is unlikely, Iraqis are hoping results will promote stability after years of sectarian strife as US troops prepare to withdraw from Iraq by the end of 2011. (Reuters, CNN, March-8, 10)

 

Despite attempts by Sunni Islamist insurgents to disrupt elections on Sunday (March-7) by staging attacks, there was a 62 percent voter turnout, which is above last year’s poll for provincial elections, Reuters reported on Monday (March-8). Participation was better than expected as many feared and indicated Iraqis would be deterred to vote by attacks. According to Christopher Hill, the US ambassador to Baghdad, Iraq’s elections “really went very, very well.” And the “Iraqi people deserve a lot of congratulations from us,” CNN reported. CNN added that the overall feeling on election day was the longing for change, of electing a government that will be able to provide basic services. Also, Iraqi troops, police, detainees and the ill marked their ballots on Thursday (March-4), ahead of the main Election Day, when 19 million eligible voters could participate. The Iraqi election commission said there were nearly 60 cities worldwide and voting was staggered over three days.  Attacks on security forces occurred despite strict security measures imposed to guard the 950,000 people able to vote early, with the majority of them from Iraq’s 670,000-strong security forces, Reuters reported. Because Iraqi soldiers and police voted instead of patrolling or guarding stations, officials viewed Thursday as the day to be concerned about. Friday (March-5) marked the last day of campaigning in Iraq. Due to increasing pre-election violence and messages of insurgents vowing to disrupt the poll, security has been dramatically increased, restricting travel around the country and authorities have cancelled all leave for security services, the BBC reported. The parliamentary election is a critical test for Iraq’s national reconciliation process ahead of a complete US military withdrawal. (Reuters, BBC, March – 5, 8, 10)

 

UN: The UN Development Program (UNDP) provided support for the Out of Country Voting (OCV) program of the Iraqi election commission operation. Out-of-country voting will be held in 16 countries, including Syria, Jordan, the UK, Germany and Australia. The UNDP, under the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) Elections Assistance Team, has provided specialized technical assistance for the elections, including helping the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) for drafting the standard operations for polling, which consists of measures to prevent, detect and address irregularities. Also, in collaboration with UNOPS, UNDP has created post-elections, long-term program to build the institutional capacity of IHEC developing managerial skills, organizational know-how and strategic planning abilities. This assistance will enable IHEC to develop into a leading independent institution that will fulfill the aspirations of the people of Iraq to live in a democratic society. (UNDP, March-5)

 

Refugees/Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs): According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (iDMC), return rates of IDPs and refugees has not increased in the last year. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimated that some 350,000 IDPs displaced since 2006 had returned as of November 2009, while 60 percent of them had gone back to Baghdad and 30 percent to Diyala province. Additionally, by December 2009, the Ministry of Displacement and Migration had registered only 44,000 returnee families or about 260,000 people. Because some families do not meet all necessary requirements to be registered, the high number of returnees has caused a registration backlog, the iDMC reported. Government programs have been primarily focusing on return, but no policies of resettlement or integration have been discussed. According to the iDMC, an estimated 52 percent of post-2006 IDPs prefer to return to their place of origin. However, the UNHCR did not encourage refugees to return to Iraq in 2009 due to the volatile security situation. (iDMC, March-4)

 

With parliamentary elections less than a week away, Iraqi refugees hope it will restore security to Iraq to facilitate the safe return of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis living abroad across the Middle East. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports, however, that Iraqi refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt are divided on whether to take part in elections on Sunday (March-7). Refugees registered with UNHCR are skeptical into whether elections will end abductions, killings and suicide bombings that cause them to flee in the first place. Because the country remains insecure and unstable, return to Iraq is not an option, and many prefer to either remain in host countries or seek resettlement in third countries, UNHCR reported. Iraqi refugees are split on whether they will participate in the vote. Some feel their vote will be useless as there is skepticism whether the election will help Iraqis return to their country, mainly due to the security situation. Meanwhile, some refugees will vote as they still have hope that one day security might be restored in Iraq. (UNHCR, March-1)

 

In an attempt to urge the Iraqi government to take action after a series of killings, at least 1,000 minority Christians marched in protest near Mosul, 250 miles (390 km) north of Baghdad, on Sunday (February-28). In the past two weeks, at least eight Christians have been killed in Mosul, which now has Pope Benedict concerned, Reuters reported. During the Pope’s weekly blessing from Vatican City, he appealed to civil authorities to make every effort to provide security again for the population, in particular to the most vulnerable religious minorities, Reuters reported.  The influx of Christian IDP families from Mosul to the nearby districts of Al Hamdaniyah and Tilkaif in Ninawa governorate has slowed down between February 27 and March 1. As of March 1, the total number of IDPs is at 720 families (4,320 people) up from 683 families (4,098 people) representing only a five percent increase. According to OCHA Iraq, there are protection concerns for Christian families remaining in Mosul. The Governor of Ninawa province has formed a committee headed by the Director of Civil Defense to address humanitarian needs and response. (OCHA, Mar-1)

                                                                                             

Civil Society/Rule of Law: The number of deaths in Iraq since March 2003 is estimated by Iraq Body Count (IBC) as between 95,593 and 104,291 for civilians and 4,700 for coalition forces, including 4,382 US troops, 179 British troops and 139 troops from other nations. While 4,900-6,375 Iraqi military personnel are estimated to have died during the 2003 war, reliable figures are unavailable for the new Iraqi security forces established in late 2003. (icasualties, March-10)  

 

Compared to the Iraqi civilian death toll of 135 in January, officials said Monday (March-1) that the civilian death toll in February had leaped to 211, a sign of increasing violence as parliamentary elections near. Despite an overall decrease in violence for the last two years, spikes in bomb blasts in recent months has ruined peace prior to the national vote, which is viewed as a critical test for Iraq as it emerges from decades of war, sanctions and sectarian strife. Even as numbers in violence drops, Sunni Islamist insurgents, such as al-Qaeda, and members of Saddam Hussein’s Baath party are still able to stage massive attacks that attempt to undermine public confidence in Iraqi security forces. (Reuters, March-1)

 

According to the US military, the number of US troops on the ground in Iraq has dropped below 100,000 for the first time since the 2003 US-led invasion, the Associated Press (AP) reported. As of Tuesday (February-16), there are 98,000 troops in Iraq, which is a huge drop from the initial 140,000 troops there one month after the invasion. The vast drop also shows that the US is following its plan to steadily cut the number of combat troops in Iraq to 50,000 by the end of August, the AP said. By the end of 2011, the US military is scheduled to completely withdraw from Iraq. (AP, February-16)

 

In 2009, the number of Iraqi civilians killed in violence dropped by half to about 4,500 from the previous year’s death toll of 9,226. Despite the decrease in deaths, improvements in security have slowed, while large-scale bombings that have killed hundreds of people, has become the troubling new trend. Additionally, although there has been a dramatic drop in violence since the height of sectarian violence in 2003, human rights group Iraq Body Count’s co founder and spokesman, John Sloboda, was quoted by Reuters as saying, “Iraq is clearly suffering more daily violence from terrorism and instability than any other country, considerably more violence even than Afghanistan and Pakistan.” (Reuters, January-1)

 

Humanitarian Situation and Access: Since early 2008, an improving security situation has encouraged some foreign and local aid agencies to return to Iraq and resume humanitarian operations. Additionally, in February a new law was passed, granting more freedom to NGOs. These changes have Iraqi activists hoping for a new era of cooperation between the soon to be announced next government and humanitarian workers. Hanaa Adward, head of Baghdad-based Al-Amal NGO was quoted by the UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) as saying, “The government and statesmen are still far from understanding the role and concept of NGOs…So I hope the coming period will bring new people who understand NGOs and the importance of having partnership between them and the government.” IRIN also reported Ahmed Hassan Rasheed of the NGO Human Relief Foundation saying that bureaucracy and an absence of cooperation with some ministries were the main hurdles NGOs needed to overcome. (IRIN, March-7)

 

Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report on Saturday (February-27) saying that political parties and candidates participating in Iraq’s elections should promise to uphold human rights. Elections will be a critical indicator of whether Iraq is moving toward political stability and respect for human rights and away from sectarian violence. The NGO’s six-page report, “Iraq’s 2010 National Elections: A Human Rights Platform for Candidates,” aims on five key areas of human rights issues, such as electoral exclusion and violence against vulnerable groups. HRW highlights the ban of hundreds of candidates as an example for the need for politicians to make human rights reform a priority. Even though violence has subsided significantly, armed groups continually persecute minorities without punishment, and violence against women and girls remains in the country. (HRW, February-27)

 

The Iraqi parliament passed a new NGO law on Monday (January-25), and now awaits approval by the three-man presidential council, the NGO Coordination Committee for Iraq (NCCI) reported. AKnews reported Alaa Talabany, chief of the civil society committee, calling the adoption of the law a “big achievement” after the law had been adjusted several times.  Civil society activists are appealing to those involved in the advocacy process to use any connections they have with the presidential council to ensure that the law is passed. Among the many improvements made to the NGO law since the March 2009 draft, one major change includes the reversal of prohibiting Iraqi NGOs from receiving foreign funding or from “affiliating” with any foreign entity without the approval of the government. The new law has removed those provisions, enabling NGOs to efficiently partner with the international community on reconstruction and humanitarian assistance projects, according to the NCCI. (NCCI, AKnews, January-26)

 

Economy/Oil: Iraqi crude oil production averaged 2.45 million barrels per day (MBPD) as of February 24, which is the same as the previous week. (USDOS, February-24) Iraqi crude oil exports averaged 1.99 MBPD as of February 24, which is an increase of 0.02 from the previous week. (USDOS, February-24)

 

Iraqi oil minister Hussain al-Shahristani said prices are at satisfactory levels, and does not expect OPEC to make changes to output during its next meeting scheduled for March 17. The minister told the AP that OPEC will instead discuss lackluster member compliance with output targets. According to the AP, OPEC announced a series of production cuts in the second half of 2008 that lowered oil output by 4.2 million barrels per day. (AP, Feb-24)

 

A US$3.64 billion loan for Iraq was approved by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on February 25 to help plug financing needs of close to US$5 billion until the end of 2011, Reuters reported. Additionally, the gap would be filled by funding from the World Bank and other small donors, Reuters reported the IMF mission chief, Ron van Rooden, as saying. According to van Rooden, “The authorities view the program primarily as a way to provide a sound macroeconomic framework during a period of high economic and political uncertainty with elections coming up in March.” An economic framework in place was wanted before the elections, which would guide Iraq through this period, particularly because it is up in the air on how long it will take before a new government may be formed. (Reuters, February-25)

 

At the annual International Petroleum Week conference in London last week, oil industry leaders believe that Iraq’s resurgence as a major oil producer will change the world’s energy market, but caution that Iraq still needs to improve security, infrastructure and export paths, the Associated Press (AP) reported. According to the AP, participant’s said efforts to boost production would have a profound impact, but were skeptical of the country’s target to raise output from 2.5 million barrels per day to more than 12 million in some six years, the AP reported. In January, Iraq awarded the last of 10 international licenses to develop oil fields. Current production levels are far below the pre-2003 war output, according to the AP. (AP, USDOS, February-16)

 

Iraq’s oil ministry said January 21 that the country’s oil exports climbed by about 8.5 percent while revenues soared almost 43 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009, compared to the same period a year earlier, the Associated Press (AP) reported. According to the AP, oil exports for the last three months of 2009 averaged almost 1.92 million barrels per day versus around 1.76 million barrels per day in 2008, while revenue from oil sales came in at around US$12.89 billion compared to US$7.35 billion. According to the AP, the surge in revenue is more likely linked to the rebound in oil prices. The country produces some 2.5 million barrels of oil per day. Iraq has been trying to boost output and exports, and as of the end of 2009, Iraq has made agreements for the development of 11 oil fields with international companies. (AP, February-2)

 

Water/Power: The electricity supply from the grid between February 17-23 was nine percent higher than the year-earlier period and met 70 percent of the estimated demand, compared with 60 percent reported during the year-earlier period. (USDOS, February-24) During 2009, there was a continued and accelerated growth in grid power that started in September 2007. The growth has significantly reduced the gap between grid supply and estimated demand for the first time. (USDOS, January-13)

 

Food: Head of Iraq’s Trade Ministry’s Planning and Food Rationing Directorate, Riadh Fakhir al-Hashimi, told the UN’s Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) that the Iraqi government has started streamlining the state food aid system by excluding from distribution lists for state food aid those considered well-off as a way of improving the Public Distribution System that has been deteriorating from insecurity, poor management and corruption. Al-Hashimi reported that the ministry had received 70,000 food rationing cards, meaning about 120,000 people had already been excluded from the food aid system. He added that those excluded would revert back to receiving state food aid if their incomes dropped below a certain level. Another stipulation included that if a well-off person is head of the family, the aid would be halted to all family members. Planning Ministry spokesman Abdul-Zahra Al-Hindawi added that quantity and quality of food items and their distribution timeframe was also important in improving the system. (IRIN, February-9)

 

Health/Medical: As of Wednesday (February-10), the UN World Health Organization (WHO) reported Iraq’s H1N1 flu death toll at 42, which is the same as the previous update on Thursday (January-28). According to the UN agency, the Eastern Mediterranean Region Office (EMRO) has cumulatively confirmed 1,018 H1N1 flu deaths in 20 member states. (WHO, February-10) The WHO says the reported death toll is an under representation of the actual numbers as many deaths are never tested or recognized as influenza related. Iraq is one of the countries in the EMRO to have already experienced a peak in activity during December 2009 and in the first week of January 2010. (WHO, January-26)

 

Officials from Wasit province are introducing financial and other incentives to attract specialist doctors to return to local health facilities, the UN’s Integrated Regional Networks (IRIN) reported. The head of Wasit Provincial Council, Mahmoud Abdul-Ridha Talal, said incentives offered included a payment of the equivalent between US$850 and US$1,700 to various specialist doctors, and car and housing allowances. The continual lack of specialists in Wasit forces Iraqis to seek the services of inexperienced junior doctors, IRIN reported. Between 2003 and 2008, 8,000 of the Iraq’s 15,500 doctors left their jobs due to violence, the Health Ministry said, and in late 2008 called on all doctors to return, promising secure accommodation, gun permits and increased salaries. The Health Ministry tallied the return of 1,480 doctors by the end of 2009. According to ministry spokesman Sabah Abdullah Karkokli, 10 mega-hospitals are now being built, where there will be housing complexes for doctors. (IRIN, February-11)

 

In-Country Humanitarian Assistance Information by Region

 

North Region

 

Central/West Regions

Baghdad

Baghdad
Coordination	On August 23, US forces transferred authority of the new Iraqi Air Force Headquarters Complex to the Iraqi Air Force (IAF). The new name of the headquarters complex is called “Hawk Base” and is located near the new Al-Muthanna Air Base at the Baghdad International Airport. Currently, there are more than 2,100 IAF members and the new complex will house more than 270 IAF personnel. (USDOS, Sept-2) Control over Joint Security Station (JSS) Zubaida, located south of Baghdad was transferred to the Iraq Security Forces (ISF) from US Forces on August 10. Two homes and a few acres of land were given back to the previous civilian owners, but the majority of JSS Zubaida is still under ISF control. (USDOS, Aug-19)
Population	Population: 7,145,470
IDP Movement	Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) by Province/Governorate   Current Historical   Province  Individuals displaced after Feb 2006 Families displaced after Feb 2006 Families displaced 2003-2005 Families displaced pre-2003 Baghdad 602,022 100,337 1,586 2,281 (IOM, Iraqi Ministry of Displacement and Migration, July 2009)
Food	No New Information
Health	No New Information
Non-Food Items –Shelter	In its first phase of a US$10 billion plan to rebuild Sadr City slum, Baghdad asked foreign companies on Thursday (Jan-21) to sign up for a project to design and build 75,000 apartments. The projects will span 22 sq miles (56 sq km) to be constructed over 10 years, and will include 150,000 apartments, stores, service buildings, a medical complex, a university and entertainment center. Baghdad has hired British-based architects, Broadway Maylan, for the Sadr city project. (Reuters, Jan-21)
Security	On Thursday (Mar-4), at least seven soldiers and police were killed and 35 were wounded in two different districts in Baghdad. Near a voting center that will be used as a polling station on Sunday (Mar-7), an explosion killed five civilians and wounded 22 in Baghdad’s northwestern district of Hurriya.   On Saturday (Mar-6), six people were wounded, including three policemen, by a roadside bomb that exploded near a police patrol in the Doura district of southern Baghdad.      On Sunday (Mar-7), a blast at a block of flats in the Ur neighborhood of northeastern Baghdad killed 25 people and wounded at least 20. Four civilians were killed and 12 were wounded in an explosion at another block of flats in southwestern Baghdad. The election day also brought about dozen of mortar rounds that landed in several locations in Baghdad. Three civilians were wounded in the western district of Jihad, while two more were injured in northern Baghdad. In western Baghdad, one was wounded and five more in the western districts of Mansour, Jamiaa and al-Furat. Three mortar rounds landed on the Green Zone government and diplomatic compound, while other mortar rounds landed near a school used as a polling center in western Baghdad, near a mosque in Adhamiya district, and near another polling center in Jihad. No casualties were reported from those incidents.  No casualties were also reported after 20 mortar shells were launched on Baghdad’s southern district of Doura. Roadside bombs killed at least four people and wounded some 16 after they exploded in northern Baghdad, in western Baghdad and in the southeastern suburb of Madaen, by a polling center in Khadra district and near a polling center in Jihad. Four more people were killed and another 16 were wounded when Katyusha rockets were fired into the northern district of Qreiat and the northwestern neighborhood of al-Hurriya.   On Tuesday (Mar-9), a shootout on Abu Nawas Street in central Baghdad ended with a traffic police officer and a gunman dead, and two wounded gunmen. Officials said a car driven by the gunmen held explosives, but were destroyed by police in a controlled explosion.   (Reuters, Mar 4-10)
Water & Sanitation	At a US military base near Baghdad, Camp Taji, US bomb disposal experts are training Iraqis to take over once they leave at the end of 2011. Reuters reported on Sunday (Oct-11) that four Iraqi army staff had received training this week from a US explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team. (Reuters, Oct-11)
Other/Comments	No New Information

South Region

 

 

 

Neighboring Countries’ Humanitarian Activities/Preparations

 

Jordan

 

Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) established a representation office in Amman, Jordan for arranging and supervising the voting process for an estimated 500,000 Iraqis living in Iraq’s neighboring country, the Deutsche Press-Agentur (DPA) reported government officials as saying on Friday (January-29). Iraqi government spokesman Ali Dabbagh met with Jordanian Interior Minister Nayef Qadi to talk about measures taken by the Jordanian authorities to make sure a smooth polling process for Iraqis in Jordan. The agreement involved eight polling stations in the cities of Amman, Zarqa and Irabid for Iraqis. (DPA, January-29)

 

An estimated 2.4 million Palestinian and Iraqi refugees are currently residing in Jordan, which has put an added burden on the country’s economy and social structure, according to UN estimates. The Norwegian Institute for Applied Social Sciences in 2007 conducted a study that estimated the number of Iraqi refugees in Jordan as 450,000 to 500,000. The Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Suhair al-Ali, also noted that the Jordanian treasury endured a burden of US$2 billion dollars in terms of infrastructure and services due to the influx of Iraqi refugees between 2005 and 2008. Due to the crumbling security situation in Iraq, the Jordanian government and the UNHCR teamed up to create solutions for Iraq and other refugees who fled to Jordan. (DPA, December-9)

 

Iran

 

On Wednesday (January-27), a small contingent of Iranian troops fully withdrew from an area near Fakka oilfield, an inactive oil well in Iraq’s southeastern Maysan province, according to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry. The ministry said in a statement that both Iraq and Iran’s foreign ministers agreed to maintain friendly relations and pull out all military forces in the area to their original positions, displaying a common goal of enhancing bilateral relations.  In mid-December, a dozen Iranian soldiers crossed into Iraqi territory and raised the Iranian flag over the well, triggering protests from Baghdad and concerns from world oil markets. (Reuters, January-27)

 

Turkey

 

On Friday (November-13), Turkey unveiled plans to expand the rights of its Kurdish population, which are seen as boosting the country’s hopes of joining the European Union (EU), and ending a 25-year old conflict with the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) rebels that has killed over 40,000 people, Reuters reported. Reforms include the creation of an independent body to investigate cases of torture and loosening the restrictions on the Kurdish language. Additionally, the reforms are designed to encourage PKK rebels to disband, as they are seen as a terrorist group by Ankara, the US and the EU. Displaying resistance the reform process faces in parliament, the main opposition party, Republican People’s Party (CHP), walked out of the chamber when Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan accused opponents of not wanting the conflict to end. (Reuters, November-13)

 

Kuwait

 

According to Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad al-Salem al-Sabah, his country is concerned of a rise in militant attacks and sectarian tensions in Iraq that could create a new security threat for the Gulf Arab oil producer. Al-Sabah was quoted by Reuters as saying, “I’m worried about the collapse of the security system in Iraq, which could drive many Iraqis to seek refuge in Kuwait.” He focused on the numerous large-scale bombings across Iraq, and expressed his fears of sectarian conflict, terrorism, and al-Qaeda groups spreading into his country. Kuwait has been largely successful in abating violence by Islamist militants. Last year, they defeated an al-Qaeda linked plan to bomb a US army camp and an oil refinery in the OPEC oil exporting state.   (Reuters, January-17)

 

Syria

 

On Monday (February-1), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) closed the Al Tanf refugee camp, located between the borders of Syria and Iraq, moving the last of the Palestinian refugees temporarily to a refugee camp inside Syria, Al Hol, UNHCR reported. The UN refugee agency had been working in cooperation with Syrian authorities to allow the relocation of 60 camp residents. Al Tanf was supposed to be a temporary stay, but the refugees ended up staying almost four years, and endured harsh desert conditions. UNHCR and its partners have provided relief and have been proactive in finding humanitarian solutions for refugees in hopes of giving them a new start at life. Although Syria’s Al Hol camp is slightly better than Al Tanf camp, circumstances are not sustainable and a solution is needed to help over 600 Palestinians from Iraq now living there, according to UNHCR. (UNHCR, February-1)

 

Saudi Arabia

 

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi held talks with Saudi King Abdullah and other politicians in Riyadh on Saturday (February-20), according to news reports. The official Saudi SPA news agency said the talks were also attended by the head of Saudi intelligence, Prince Muqrin bin Abdul-Aziz, but gave no details. According to Reuters, Saudi Arabia, a Sunni nation, is concerned over the growing influence in Iraq and other countries in the region of Shi’ite rival Iran. Allawi is a Shi’ite, but is a secularist. According to Reuters, Saleh al-Mutlaq, the leader of Allawi’s Sunni allies in the Iraqiya list, withdrew his National Dialog Front from the upcoming March 7 ballot after he was banned for alleged links to Saddam Hussein’s outlawed Baath party. Mutlaq was one of some 145 candidates whose appeals against a decision by a Shi’ite dominated commission to bar them from the polls was rejected, Reuters reported. The ban includes prominent Sunnis and Shi’ites seeking secular alliances, according to Reuters. The visit by Allawi has also stirred controversy in Iraq, with many suspicious of Saudi interference in Iraq affairs. According to Reuters, Allawi has said that the trip had nothing to do with the elections next month and that the visit was about improving Iraq’s regional ties. (Reuters, Alalam, February-20)

 

On May-28, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Iraq has no intention of making new goodwill gestures towards Saudi Arabia as Maliki’s efforts have been called a sign of weakness by Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital. Bilateral ties between the two countries have been strained since the US-led invasion in 2003 and continue to decline. Al-Maliki’s Shi’ite-led government accuses Riyadh of not taking enough action to prevent its citizens from crossing the border to join the mainly Sunni insurgency. The Agence France-Presse quoted al-Maliki as saying, “There will be no other initiatives on our part as long as there is no sign from Saudi Arabia that it wants to have good ties with Baghdad.” During an April 25 visit to Baghdad, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed