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24 March 2006

United States Urges Arab Nations To Support Iraq

Assistant Secretary of State Welch looks to Arab Summit

By Judy Aita
Washington File Staff Writer

New York -- The upcoming Arab Summit should support the new Iraqi government, stand behind the three demands of the international community on the new Palestinian government, and back the transition to a U.N. peacekeeping force in Darfur, United States has said in a series of meetings with Arab countries.

According to U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs C. David Welch, the United States would like to see the 22 Arab nations address key issues such as Iraq, Palestine, and Darfur in "a positive, forward-looking way" at the Arab Summit scheduled to meet in Khartoum, Sudan, March 28 and 29.

At a March 23 briefing at the New York Foreign Press Center, Welch said the international community, including the so-called Quartet made up of the United Nations, the United States, Russia and the European Union, want to see a responsible answer from the new Palestinian government with respect to three requirements:

• Accept Israel's right to exist,

• Renounce violence and terror, and

• Agree to the entire package of past agreements, obligations and initiatives related to the peace process.

"How the Arab League decides to address themselves to the new Palestinian government is, of course, up to them," but the fact is that "there will be a new government headed by a party that in our view is a terrorist organization, which has not yet met any of the requirements of the international community, including those that the Arab League as a collective agreed to," he said.

For additional information, see The Middle East: A Vision for the Future.

SUPPORT FOR IRAQ

The United States would also like to see the Arab nations "provide support -- political and otherwise" for the current Iraqi government and the new government when it is formed, Welch said.

The assistant secretary praised the role of the Arab League in supporting the reconciliation and unity process.

"This political role is very useful," he said.  "Iraq is a member of the Arab League and too long it was divorced from the Arab League ... we look to the Arab League and its member states to provide support to the new government and to the people of Iraq." (See Iraq Update.)

"We would like to see a supportive international role, including in the security area," the assistant secretary said. The majority of the coalition forces now in Iraq are U.S. troops, but "if the Arab League member states were to take steps in that area, I don't think they would meet any resistance from the United States," he added.

DARFUR, WESTERN SAHARA

The humanitarian crisis in Darfur is grave, Welch also said.

"There is a need for an international presence to protect people there," he continued. "The African Union mission has been performing capably where it is, but we think it needs to be bolstered financially and practically and in additional contributions from the international community. The most efficacious way to do that is to transition it to a U.N.-mandated mission." (See Darfur Humanitarian Emergency.)

Asked about the Western Sahara, Welch said that the United States will be discussing the issue with a Moroccan delegation over the next few days.

"We would like to see this area stable, secure and peaceful," he said.  "We believe a solution should be found, that it's a realistic one."

The United States has supported U.N. resolutions aimed at resolving the Western Sahara dispute between Algeria and Morocco. The U.N. Security Council has called for a referendum on self-determination among the Western Sahara residents. (See related article.)

Welch said that the United States has been developing stronger ties with the Maghreb countries in general and predicted "a pretty bright future for these relationships."

"We have friendly, good relations, historically so, in Morocco and Tunisia; very good and evolving and very productive relations with Algeria; and a new situation with Libya," he said. "So the range of interactions on the part of the U.S. government and the American people in these nations is really changing in quite a positive and dramatic way."

For additional information on U.S. policy, see Middle East and North Africa.

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)