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Fractious meeting on Iraq extended
A group of eight countries â including all six of Iraqâs neighbours â have been meeting in Saudi Arabia.
"What will we do? Oh, what will we do?"
"Don't worry. I've got some holy men on it..." |
In Riyadh, Iraqâs neighbours and other Arab states concerned about the political ramifications of a long-term US occupation, are holding talks Friday and Saturday aimed at coming up with a united position on a national government that will hasten the withdrawal of US forces. The foreign ministers of Iraq's six neighbours â Syria, Jordan, Turkey, Iran, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia â along with Egypt and current Arab League chairman Bahrain, asked that US troops leave Iraq âas soon as possibleâ even as they disagreed on other key points.| "Get out! Get out! Ooooh! Go away! Ucky! Cooties! Infidels!" |
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher hinted at the differences among the participants. "There could be divergent analyses (of the situation)," he said without elaborating. The differences relate to the status of the Kurds in the north, Turkish demands on oil from the city of Kirkuk and the identity of certain figures tipped to become members of a future Iraqi government, a participating diplomat said.
| "They... They... They ain't plannin' on a... uh... you know... a secular state, are they?" |
Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2003-04-18 |
