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Iraqis agree coalition troops will stay
US President George Bush today said coalition troops would remain in Iraq beyond June 30 at the request of the interim Iraqi government. Bush was speaking after meeting his French counterpart Jacques Chirac in Paris to discuss a new UN resolution on the handover of sovereignty in Iraq. ââMultinational forces will remain in Iraq to help this new government succeed in its vital work,ââ Bush told a joint news conference with Chirac, saying such a move came ââat the request of the new government, at the request of the (Iraqi) prime ministerââ. Bush said the US-led coalition in Iraq and the newly-formed government in Baghdad had exchanged letters detailing the conditions under which foreign forces would remain in the country after the restoration of Iraqi sovereignty on June 30. But the US president gave no indication when those forces might withdraw - an omission that is one of Chiracâs main objections to the current draft of the UN resolution. Chirac stressed that the thorny ââissue of security arrangements between the Iraqi government and the multinational forces still needs to be worked outââ. He also insisted there was ââno alternativeââ to a UN resolution in order to restore peace to Iraq. While both leaders emphasised their common views on Iraq it was clear major differences remain over the way forward after June 30. Chirac said ââdisorderââ reigned in Iraq, calling the situation there ââvery precariousââ.
Posted by: Dan Darling 2004-06-06 |
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