Wednesday, October 20, 2010 12:18:06 AM
Iraqi PM Maliki seeks Iran's help in reconstruction
18 October 2010 Last updated at 15:06 GMT
This just adds a little more context, with a reminder the major party players, see bottom. Keep in back of mind too, fwiw, (nothing
now) that the Shiites of Iraq are Arabs, not Persian, are fiercely independent, and have fought against the Shia of Iran before.
Mr Maliki's rival for the post of PM has
accused Iran of political interference
The Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki is in Iran, on one of several visits to neighbouring countries as he tries to secure a second term.
Mr Maliki is struggling to keep his job after inconclusive general elections in March.
At talks with Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Mr Maliki urged Tehran to help rebuild his country.
His chief rival Ayad Allawi has accused Iran of interfering and trying to impose its will on Iraq.
Struggle for Iraq
* End to Iraq's epic journey in sight?
* US troops in Iraq combat dilemma
* Deadly attacks on Iraqi reporters
* Bittersweet memories for Iraqis
"We ask Iran and our neighbours to support our reconstruction and to boost economic and commercial cooperation,
which will help improve stability in our region," Mr Maliki said, according to a statement issued by his office in Baghdad.
"The strategic relations between Iran and Iraq must continue."
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, told Mr Maliki that Iraq must settle its political crisis.
"Formation of a government as soon as possible and establishment of full security are among the important needs of Iraq, because development and reconstruction... can't be achieved without these two," Iranian state television quoted Ayatollah Khamenei as saying.
Later the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told Mr Maliki that Tehran "fully supports a united, strong and independent Iraq".
"We hope that by forming the new Iraqi government the long period of hardship will end, and by different Iraqi groups cooperating, the destruction ends and the people achieve prosperity," Mr Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying on Iranian state television's website.
Looking for support
The visit is supposedly an official one, but it is bound to be overshadowed by the political struggle back home, our Baghdad correspondent Jim Muir says.
Earlier this month the political parties broke the world record for the amount of time taken to form a new administration.
As the deadlock continues, many of the main political figures have been out and about in the region trying to solicit support and help tilt the balance their way.
Mr Maliki himself has been in Syria and Jordan, and he is expected to go to Egypt and Turkey after Iran.
Our correspondent says the Iranians are widely perceived as having strengthened his hand by persuading the militant Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr - who has been living in the Iranian city of Qom for several years - to back him with the 40 seats he commands in parliament.
Mr Maliki is due to travel to Qom on Monday, but it is not clear if he will meet Moqtada Sadr.
This visit is sure to provide Ayad Allawi with more ammunition to accuse Iran
of interfering and Mr Maliki of being an Iranian stooge, our correspondent adds.
* Al-Iraqiyya (Iraqi National Movement): Nationalist bloc led by former PM Iyad Allawi, a secular
Shia. Includes Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi, a Sunni Arab, and senior Sunni politician Saleh al-Mutlaq
* State of Law: Led by Prime Minister Nouri Maliki and his Shia Islamist Daawa Party, the alliance purportedly cuts
across religious and tribal lines. Includes some Sunni tribal leaders, Shia Kurds, Christians and independents
* Iraqi National Alliance (INA): Shia-led bloc includes followers of the radical cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, the
Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC), and the Fadhilah Party, along with ex-PM Ibrahim Jaafari and Ahmad Chalabi
* Kurdistan Alliance: Coalition dominated by the two parties administering Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region
- the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), led by President Jalal Talaban
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11564343
18 October 2010 Last updated at 15:06 GMT
This just adds a little more context, with a reminder the major party players, see bottom. Keep in back of mind too, fwiw, (nothing
now) that the Shiites of Iraq are Arabs, not Persian, are fiercely independent, and have fought against the Shia of Iran before.
Mr Maliki's rival for the post of PM has
accused Iran of political interference
The Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki is in Iran, on one of several visits to neighbouring countries as he tries to secure a second term.
Mr Maliki is struggling to keep his job after inconclusive general elections in March.
At talks with Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Mr Maliki urged Tehran to help rebuild his country.
His chief rival Ayad Allawi has accused Iran of interfering and trying to impose its will on Iraq.
Struggle for Iraq
* End to Iraq's epic journey in sight?
* US troops in Iraq combat dilemma
* Deadly attacks on Iraqi reporters
* Bittersweet memories for Iraqis
"We ask Iran and our neighbours to support our reconstruction and to boost economic and commercial cooperation,
which will help improve stability in our region," Mr Maliki said, according to a statement issued by his office in Baghdad.
"The strategic relations between Iran and Iraq must continue."
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, told Mr Maliki that Iraq must settle its political crisis.
"Formation of a government as soon as possible and establishment of full security are among the important needs of Iraq, because development and reconstruction... can't be achieved without these two," Iranian state television quoted Ayatollah Khamenei as saying.
Later the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told Mr Maliki that Tehran "fully supports a united, strong and independent Iraq".
"We hope that by forming the new Iraqi government the long period of hardship will end, and by different Iraqi groups cooperating, the destruction ends and the people achieve prosperity," Mr Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying on Iranian state television's website.
Looking for support
The visit is supposedly an official one, but it is bound to be overshadowed by the political struggle back home, our Baghdad correspondent Jim Muir says.
Earlier this month the political parties broke the world record for the amount of time taken to form a new administration.
As the deadlock continues, many of the main political figures have been out and about in the region trying to solicit support and help tilt the balance their way.
Mr Maliki himself has been in Syria and Jordan, and he is expected to go to Egypt and Turkey after Iran.
Our correspondent says the Iranians are widely perceived as having strengthened his hand by persuading the militant Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr - who has been living in the Iranian city of Qom for several years - to back him with the 40 seats he commands in parliament.
Mr Maliki is due to travel to Qom on Monday, but it is not clear if he will meet Moqtada Sadr.
This visit is sure to provide Ayad Allawi with more ammunition to accuse Iran
of interfering and Mr Maliki of being an Iranian stooge, our correspondent adds.
* Al-Iraqiyya (Iraqi National Movement): Nationalist bloc led by former PM Iyad Allawi, a secular
Shia. Includes Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi, a Sunni Arab, and senior Sunni politician Saleh al-Mutlaq
* State of Law: Led by Prime Minister Nouri Maliki and his Shia Islamist Daawa Party, the alliance purportedly cuts
across religious and tribal lines. Includes some Sunni tribal leaders, Shia Kurds, Christians and independents
* Iraqi National Alliance (INA): Shia-led bloc includes followers of the radical cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, the
Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC), and the Fadhilah Party, along with ex-PM Ibrahim Jaafari and Ahmad Chalabi
* Kurdistan Alliance: Coalition dominated by the two parties administering Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region
- the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), led by President Jalal Talaban
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11564343
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