Trilateral talks find “common ground”
The sentiment coming out of the mini summit of leaders from the UK, France and Germany is that “progress” had been made in building common ground over the future of Iraq.
Thought “differences of opinion” lingered, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said Saturday all leaders had agreed in principle to transfer power to the newly established Iraqi authority as quickly as possible.
The trilateral talks are a bridge building exercise between the European neighbours ahead of the UN General Assembly next week.
France and Germany were vociferous in opposing the unilaterally taken US-led war against Iraq.
France and Germany pressed Tony Blair Nations to give the UN a leading role in the reconstruction of post-war Iraq. Mr Blair said the UN should have a “key role.”
Mr Blair was upbeat that he could gain backing for a US-backed resolution paving the way for a multinational force in Iraq.
The leaders also discussed European defence, the Middle East and the EU constitution.
Mr Schroeder and Mr Chirac are to hold talks in New York next week with US President George W Bush.
Separately, in Baghdad yesterday morning (0445 GMT), a gunmen shot and ‘critically’ wounded Akila Al – Hashemi – a female Shi’ite politician on Iraq’s Governing Council.
She was one of three women on the 25-member Council wounded in the incident.
Hashemi was due to fly to New York next week to attend the UN’s General Assembly meeting.
US administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer, said he was “shocked and saddened by this horrific and cowardly act.”
UK Development Minister Hilary Benn said he was ‘very sad’ to hear the news.
Mr Benn said: “What it shows is that building a democracy in Iraq isn’t going to be easy because there is a small group of people who are very determined to try and prevent Iraq having that new future that Aqila al-Hashimi has been working so hard to achieve.
“She spoke to me about the forces in the country who will stop at nothing to try and prevent the Iraqi people from having the chance of determining their own future.
