Iraq says Baghdad conference a success

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070311/ts_nm/iraq_dc

Iraq says Baghdad conference a success

By Mariam Karouny 18 minutes ago

BAGHDAD (Reuters) -Iraq signaled that world powers and neighboring states, including Washington and its adversaries Iran and Syria, had agreed in Baghdad it was in everyone's interest to stop sectarian violence spreading in the region.


But while President Bush on Saturday ordered 4,400 more U.S. troops to be sent to Iraq on top of a force build-up he has already authorized, Iran called for the withdrawal of all U.S. forces on grounds they fueled violence.

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Two mortar bombs exploded near the Baghdad conference building shortly after the talks began. Elsewhere in the capital, a suicide car bomber killed six Iraqi soldiers and wounded about 20 in yet another day of violence.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki urged other countries in the oil-rich region to stop supporting insurgents and do all they could to help Baghdad, saying it was vital to all to prevent the sectarian bloodletting from spilling over Iraq's borders.

who was giving a talk and question-and-answer here in Anchorage. It's his belief that these "diplomatic" efforts now are all for show, to demonstrate to the world that we've really "tried" to work things out with Iran -- but he is almost certain that the bombs are going to start falling in Iran, and soon. When that happens, he believes that Iran will immediately strike back at the US bases in Iraq, and then all hell will break loose.

He was extremely interesting, very informative -- I learned things I didn't know -- but he didn't paint a very bright picture.

Updated story at OP link: Bombers kill 29 after Baghdad talks - Reuters

Also: Iraq attacks kill 58 - AFP

Once again, success is declared just before things go BOOM.

SYRIA backs a negotiated solution to violence in Iraq that includes US troop withdrawal and urges convening a conciliation conference to stop the civil strife, government newspapers said overnight.

"Syria supports a political solution that returns peace and stability to Iraq," the newspapers quoted a Syrian statement read at an international meeting in Baghdad yesterday as saying.

"Reconciliation requires preparing for a conference, solving disputes on articles in the constitution, disbanding the militias, and a timetable for the pullout of foreign forces," the statement said.

Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmad Arnous attended the conference, as well as Syria's ally Iran and Washington, despite US allegations that Damascus and Tehran are helping rebels responsible for attacks on Iraqis and US troops.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21365213-1702,00.html

By NASSER KARIMI Associated Press Writer
Article Last Updated: 03/11/2007 12:46:16 PM MDT

TEHRAN, Iran- ... The spokesman said Saturday's meeting in Baghdad included "constructive negotiations" among the delegations and could be considered a "first step" in promoting security and stability in Iraq. Hosseini also said Iran was ready to support any plan that would help end the bloodshed in its neighboring country ...

Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, pointed out that even though he welcomed talks about restoring security in Iraq there's "no specific discussion of what the nature of that political solution" would be ...

U.S. and Iranian envoys traded harsh words during the Saturday talks and blamed each other for Iraq's crisis ...

The delegates at the Baghdad meeting proposed an "expanded" follow-up meeting, which could include the G-8 nations and others, in Istanbul, Turkey, next month. Iraqi officials, however, say they will urge that the next meeting take place again in Baghdad ...

http://origin.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_5413481