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Iraq seeks to redefine security ties with U.S.

— PHOTO: AP

Unabated mayhem: Iraqi security personnel are seen next to a shop destroyed in a roadside bomb blast in Baqouba on Monday.

DUBAI: Faced with mounting opposition, Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki has proposed signing an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Washington that would restrict the duration of stay of U.S. troops in Iraq.

Mr. Maliki, who is visiting the United Arab Emirates (UAE), told Ambassadors in Abu Dhabi the MoU could replace a possible formal agreement on the presence of U.S. forces in Iraq. The proposed memorandum includes a formula governing the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, said Mr. Al-Maliki.

Mr. Maliki is visiting UAE after backing fresh efforts to contain sectarian strife Iraq. On Saturday, Iraq’s ethnic groups have agreed to abide by a broad set of principles that could lead to reconciliation of their differences. More than 30 politicians belonging to Sunni, Shia, Kurdish and Turkoman groups signed a document, under which signatories have committed themselves to respecting minority rights, handing over of weapons to the government and non-interference of foreigners in Iraq’s internal affairs.

The document was the result of extensive preparations. Several meetings, attended by an entire spectrum of politicians and veterans of other conflicts, were earlier held in Helsinki. The Crisis Management Initiative (CMI), an NGO headed by the former Finnish President, Martti Ahtisaari, took the initiative for this interaction.

The foreign delegates at the Baghdad meeting included Cyril Ramaphosa and Mac Maharajboth, veterans of the anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa. Martin McGuinness, Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister and a former leader of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), also shared his experience on the benefits of conflict resolution at the conference.

Analysts pointed out that serious efforts at reconciliation are running parallel to bouts of sectarian violence in Iraq. An inter-tribal dialogue involving Sunnis and Shias has now begun to acquire some attraction in parts of Iraq. The Arabic daily, Al Hayat, has reported tribal and religious leaders met earlier this month in Karbala. The meeting resulted in 192 local leaders belonging to the Salahuddin and Karbala provinces signing a “national commitment document” renouncing violence and promoting dialogue. The accord also advocated that institutional mechanisms, allowing tribal structures to play a role, are established in order to promote national unity. The meeting was organised by the Al Husseini Foundation, whose secretary general, Abdul Mahdi Al Karabalai represents Iraq’s top cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani.

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