Maliki: Arab summit will be held on time
Reuters World News - February 26, 2012
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki yesterday that the Arab League summit will be held as scheduled in Baghdad next month despite security concerns following the killing of at least 60 people in violence last week. 's announcement came after Maliki threatened wing of al Qaeda in Iraq to launch a new wave of attacks against the Shiites, who accuse them of the persecution of Sunni Muslims in Iraq after Saddam Hussein.
declared Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella of Sunni insurgents linked to al Qaeda claimed responsibility for a series of coordinated attacks that targeted mainly police forces in the Shiite areas, killing at least 60 people across the the country on Thursday.
The violence highlights the threat still posed by al Qaeda and other militant groups to the security forces after the withdrawal of U.S. forces in mid-December. and postponed Arab summit twice because of disturbances of regional and a state of estrangement between Baghdad and some Gulf states Sunni because of campaign Bahrain against protesters Shiites year ago. Maliki said that all Arab states agreed to attend the summit to be held on March 29, including 13 king and head.
Maliki said in a speech to the Iraqi researchers was to thank for the Arab States, which he said some of them she would go to Baghdad, in any case . He added that even after the attacks that took place a few days ago, which was intended to send a message to prevent the summit, it is "Thank God" did not have any impact. Maliki said the Arab League inspected the security measures taken by Baghdad to secure the safety of persons participating in the summit from access to the airport and even the venue of the summit and return, noting that the University has expressed satisfaction with these procedures and approval. and warned Islamic State of Iraq that the war between Sunnis and Shiites are inevitable. said Abu Mohammed Aladnana spokesman for the Islamic State of Iraq in an audio message released by the group intelligence "Site", based in the United States late on Friday that he is not inevitable or unavoidable. He added that the next stage will be the stage of a real confrontation and war against the Shiites, whether they wanted it or not.
Summit will be held in Baghdad at a time when competing forces where Sunni and Shiite influence in the region where the growing divisions on the basis of sectarian unrest in Syria and Western sanctions against Iran. And Iraq has strong ties with Syria and al-Maliki has strong support from Shiite Iran.
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