PING!
Posted on 03/16/2007 8:42:10 PM PDT by GMMAC
Canada involved in effort to lift Iraq from chaos
Steven Edwards, CanWest News Service
Published: Friday, March 16, 2007
UNITED NATIONS — Canada offered Iraq help on Friday to lift it from chaos while speaking at a closed international meeting as one of the key powers seeking to involve as many countries as possible in the reconstruction of the war-torn country.
While Ottawa kept wraps on its speech inside the United Nations meeting room, officials revealed the Canadian delegate spoke about the need to extend economic and political help. Attended by more than 80 countries, the meeting represented a bid to inject new life into the so-called "Iraq Compact," which Canada and 18 other countries and institutions that have already committed sizable funds to Iraq's reconstruction have helped create.
The compact is a little-known deal between Iraq and any country or global institution that wants to join Iraq's reconstruction in exchange for reforms that would make Iraq a democracy with economic and political rights for all ethnic and religious groups.
Broad acceptance of the accord, would help the Bush administration claim there is widespread international support for fixing Iraq even though pressures within the United States are building for Washington to disengage militarily.
Canada's position was presented by Gordon Venner, a director general with Foreign Affairs.
He emphasized the "importance of debt relief" for the Iraqi treasury, said one official present, and also said Ottawa was "encouraged by Iraq's progress" in pushing through its controversial hydrocarbon law, which will allow foreign companies to control Iraqs vast oil resources.
On the political side, the delegate said Canada could help Iraq develop federal institutions by "learning from Canada's experience."
Others said Canada called on Iraq's neighbours to sign onto the compact to help Iraq.
Launched in July, 2006, the compact fell out of international favour after the U.S. Congressional Iraq Study Group last year suggested the project focused too much on economic issues, and recommended the launch of a broader fund.
But in a speech outlining his Iraq strategy this year, U.S. President George W. Bush mentioned the importance of the compact, giving it new momentum.
The revitalization of the compact has consequences for a UN-World Bank initiative called the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI), which aims to channel donor resources to rebuild Iraq.
Canada chairs the fund, which will meet Monday and Tuesday in Istanbul, Turkey.
At the compact meeting, Doug Williams, a director general with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) spoke on behalf of the fund, saying it was ready to discuss its role in the context of the compact.
"The IRFFI should be an instrument that donor countries can use to channel contributions to help the Iraqis implement the compact," said a CIDA spokesman.
Other countries joining Canada on the compact committee include France, Germany, Italy Japan, the Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Several are members of, or have contributed to, the U.S.-led Coalition forces in Iraq.
Washington hailed the meeting as evidence international support for finding ways to fix Iraq's problems was growing — a situation that contrasts sharply with the isolation the United States, Britain and the small number of other countries in the coalition have typically faced since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein.
"The Iraqi people and the government need all the international support that they can possibly get," said Sean McCormack, spokesman for the State Department. "There have been a lot of encouraging signs recently, with the Iraq neighbours meeting as well as ... the meeting up in New York on the international compact for Iraq."
The senior U.S. official at the meeting rejected suggestions the level of violence in Iraq should be a deterrent to countries that would otherwise invest in the country.
"Success in Iraq will come through a co-ordinated political, security and economic strategy," said Robert Kimmitt, Treasury deputy secretary. "There are places in Iraq already that are secure enough to provide reconstruction, other essential services to the Iraqi people, and we should move to do that.
"And when other areas become secure, we need to be ready to do that."
In contrast to Ottawa's secrecy over its speech, Britain, Italy Germany and Denmark were among Western countries that provided theirs from the closed meeting.
Among non-Western countries that were open about their speeches were Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Copyright © 2007 CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved.
PING!
"...meet Monday and Tuesday in Istanbul, Turkey."
TURKEY?
"Other countries joining Canada on the compact committee include France, Germany.."
PISS ON THEM!
Please send me a FReepmail to get on or off this Canada ping list.
You know what? I'm getting more and more disheartened with the anti-Canada, anti-EVERYTHING groups on this board. There is more negativity and more infighting than anything else. Do you ever wonder why this board is portrayed as a radical right-wing haven by the MSM? It's not ONLY bias, there is bias there yes, but it's not the only reason.
What many of you people need to realize is that our current government and Conservative leadership (although a minority government) is MORE conservative than most of the GOP. With the possible exception of Mr. Hunter and Mr. Gingrich among current presidential contenders.
There are many people here that need to get their heads out of the sand. We are all on the same team here. Many here (including myself) criticize the libs for being hypocritical, closed-minded, know-it-all, do as I say not as I do snobs. But we can't do that if there are people here that insist on continuing this infighting. Every post I write here it seems I'm getting closer and closer to writing my opus.
Hold on there, I was entering this thread to state that this is a good thing. Like Regan, my belief is it doesn't matter who gets the credit as long as the job gets done. If all these countries want to lift Iraq from chaos, fine. You are welcome to it.
Personally I'm rather fond of some of the investment Canada is pouring down here.
You are right though about people being anti-this and anti-that. After all you are Anti-Kev...How do you know my name isn't Kev? ;-)
Good I'm glad that you are fond of our investment. I was jumping on the previous poster for advocating urinating on my home and native land is all. And bloviating a bit about some of the stupid internal divides that seem to be cropping up very quickly on this forum.
As for me being AntiKev...the handle that I use on forums harkens back to my days in on-line gaming...
I was joking about the Anti-Kev part. I know you took it that way though. ;-)
There are stupid comments on every thread. It's best not to take them seriously. The ones who jump in with these comments are best ignored. Maybe they thought it was cute at the time, and didn't mean anything by it.
I personally fight a tendency to cite California every time people accuse us of not fighting liberalism.
You're right, we need to stick together.
The naysayers will come and go, but we will care enough to stay.
:-D
Right?
" We are all on the same team here. "
Check your facts. Turkey, Germany and France opposed US intervention in Iraq, but are now in league with capturing Iraqi contracts.
It kind of looks like the countries want to swoop in and grab something for themselves after we have done the heavy lifting.
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