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Brown urged to launch diplomatic offensive for Iraq reconciliation

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, Oct 9, IRNA
UK-Brown-Iraq Policy
Britain's all-party Iraq Commission has welcomed Prime Minister Gordon Brown's statement on the UK's future role in the Iraq debacle, but said that it did not go far enough.

"We must develop a coherent exit strategy that is focused on training the Iraqi security forces to take control of Iraq's security while British troops are drawn down," a spokesman for the commission said.

"At the same time, we must persuade the UN to launch a new diplomatic offensive to develop lasting reconciliation," the spokesman added.

In a speech to parliament on Monday, Brown announced that British troops in Iraq will be reduced to 2,500 next spring, after saying last week the number would be cut from 5,500 to 4,500 by the end of the year.

The commission, set up by the Foreign Policy Centre, also welcomed his announcement to offer support for Iraqi translators fleeing possible persecution for helping Britain's deployment, saying that it was one of its recommendations made in July.

But it also accused Brown of playing party politics, saying the prime minister must put the interests of Iraq and the safety of British forces first and also urged the government to seek a political settlement.

"We call on the Prime Minister to launch a major new diplomatic offensive at the UN to restart the stalled political process to bring stability to the region by involving all Iraq's neighbours (including Iran) in a treaty-based process, and in parallel appointing a new high level envoy to facilitate national reconciliation between Iraq's sectarian factions," said the commission.

The commission, chaired by former NATO general secretary Lord Robertson and former UN high representative to Bosnia Lord Ashdown, also repeated its recommendation for a clear exit strategy.

"This means ceasing offensive military operations and focusing on completing the training of Iraqi security forces. When this job is done we can withdraw the troops. Our forces should only stay as long as they have a job to do," it said.

Further recommendations included deploying an economic strategy to win the hearts and minds in the battle for a future Iraq and to urgently act with the UNHCR to address the world's largest refugee crisis emerging in and around Iraq.

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