http://209.85.225.132/translate_c?hl...MHG65bGjvImV_gLast Updated: Wednesday, July 22, 2009, 21:12 GMT
Maliki and Obama call on the United Nations to lift sanctions on Iraq
The two leaders held a press conference at the White House
Prime Minister of Iraq Nuri al-Maliki and his host, U.S. President Barack Obama, the permanent members of the UN Security Council to ease the financial sanctions imposed on Iraq after its invasion of Kuwait in 1990.
He said Maliki, who is visiting the United States that Iraq did not pose a threat to the international community and must be stopped for the payment of compensation to the current level.
Iraq is still owed billions of Kuwait, which insists that Iraq must be paid in full.
Phase transition
He has arrived in the U.S. capital earlier on Wednesday for talks with President Barack Obama and members of his administration on a number of issues.
President Bush said in a joint news conference with Iraqi home in the White House on Wednesday that the United States is determined to complete the withdrawal of troops from Iraq in a timely manner by the end of 2011 despite the continuing violence in that country.
Obama said that the two countries, Iraq and the United States are in the "transition period" in relation to the U.S. presence in Iraq, address the common interests and mutual respect.
It is the first time he meets with the Obama-Maliki at the White House.
The two leaders met in Baghdad in April last.
The president said the U.S. would withdraw from the U.S. "to send an unequivocal message that the United States is determined to fulfill their obligations to the Iraqi people."
He said the United States does not want to keep military bases in Iraq, did not want takeover of Iraq's natural resources of oil and more.
For his part, Maliki said he had discussed with President Obama "all possible means", which can in which the United States to cooperate with the Iraqi government.
He said Iraqi Prime Minister: "We are about to activate a strategic framework agreement to that effect."
Al-Maliki said Iraqi forces now have "high efficiency", as a result of the training and preparation, which was received at the hands of U.S. forces.
Inflamed sectarian
He also pledged to Iraqi Prime Minister to work towards easing sectarian tensions in his country.
He said in this regard: "The sons and daughters of Iraq will be equal", pledging that his government is working to put an end to the sharp divisions that afflict Iraqi society between the various components.
He said: "Iraq has suffered greatly as a result of marginalization, which was a result of sectarian politics and war. We will work hard to prevent the sectarian practices."
He added that the new strategic partnership with the United States would help to achieve this goal.
The U.S. administration expressed concern about the possibility of increasing the level of violence in Iraq unless Maliki and his allies in the ruling Shi'ite Alliance, greater efforts to involve the Sunni minority in power.
" The president said Obama, in this regard: "In general, we are satisfied with the progress made to date."
But he added that this does not mean that the risks are still plaguing the situation in Iraq.
Penalties
On the subject of international sanctions, Iraq continues to suffer under it since the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, by the two leaders expressed their support for efforts to abolish the UN Security Council resolution forcing Iraq to pay 5 percent of its oil revenues to compensate for the Gulf War in 1991.
The president said Obama, in this regard: "It is wrong to compel Iraq to continue to bear the consequences of sins committed by a deposed dictator."
The BBC correspondent in Washington, John Dnison that the issue of lifting sanctions is one of the key issues that brought with him the Iraqi prime minister to Washington.
Jue Jul 23, 2009 12:59 am