Iraq's future worries nearby countries
Kuwait City (AsiaNews) Foreign ministers from Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Kuwait and Iraq are gathering today and tomorrow in order to find a solution to problems related to Iraqi internal policy. The will discuss Iraq's territorial unity and the risk of entrusting power to majority ethic groups.
Nearby countries fear that any crumbling of the "land of two rivers" might jeopardize the stability of the entire Middle East region.
Federalism proposals advanced recently by Iraqi Kurdish parties worry, for example, Turkey and Iran, as both have strong a Kurdish minority presence in their countries.
Participating at the meeting is the UN special envoy for Iraq, Lakhdar Al-Ibrahimi, who will communicate results of last week's discussions to Iraq's highest officials
At a press conference held yesterday Al-Ibrahimi said it was "possible to have elections before the transition of power to an Iraqi government", scheduled for June. 30. The UN's special envoy spoke in addition about the "fear that a civil war may break out in Iraq, similar to that which occurred in Lebanon if people stick to their own positions."
During his Friday prayer day sermon Shiite sheik, Abdul Mahdi Al-Karbala'i, said Al-Ibrahimi's mission was a "victory for the oppressed populace."
Yesterday, before boarding his flight to Kuwait, the Egyptian foreign minister, Ahmad Maher, said "it is up to all Arab countries to keep Iraq from falling to bits".
The Kuwait foreign minister, sheik Muhammad Al-Sabbah, said he considers the "carving up of Iraq" to be a real danger to Kuwait. (P.B.)
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