Wednesday 14 December 2011

Al Maliki to Obama: 'No one has the right to tell Assad that 'he has to go!'

Via FLC

Nouri al-Maliki President Barack Obama (R) and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki (L) speak to reporters in the Rose Garden at the White House July 22, 2009 in Washington, DC. The two leaders discussed American troop withdrawals from Iraq.  (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)July 22, 2009 in Washington, DC. The two leaders discussed American troop withdrawals from Iraq.PRESIDENT OBAMA: First of all, the Prime Minister and I discussed Syria ... There’s no disagreement there.
I have expressed my outrage... I do believe that President Assad missed an opportunity to reform his government, chose the path of repression, and has continued to engage in repressive tactics so that his credibility, his capacity to regain legitimacy inside Syria I think is deeply eroded.... there are tactical disagreements between Iraq and the United States at this point in how to deal with Syria, I have absolutely no doubt that these decisions are being made based on what Prime Minister Maliki believes is best for Iraq, not based on considerations of what Iran would like to see....
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PRIME MINISTER AL-MALIKI: (As interpreted, in progress.) -- difficult in Syria,... we honor the aspirations of the Syrian people. But I cannot have -- I do not have the right to ask a president to abdicate. We must play this role, and we cannot give ourselves this right. Iraq is a country that is bordering on Syria, and I am concerned about the interest of Iraq and the interest of the security of the region. And I wish that what is required by the Syrian people would be achieved without affecting the security of Iraq. And I know the two countries are related to each other, and we must be very prudent in dealing with this matter.We were with the initiative by the Arab League. But, frankly speaking, because we suffered from the blockade and the military interventions, we do not encourage a blockade because it exhausts the people and the government..."

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

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