Iraqi PM urges EU to persuade Syria, Iran against ‘fuelling violence’

AFP: Iraqi interim prime minister Iyad Allawi Friday urged the European Union to use its influence with Syria and Iran to stop them from “fuelling violence” in his country. “We need your help in persuading Iraq’s neighbours that fuelling violence in Iraq will only damage their own security in the long term,” he told European Union leaders in a speech made available to the press. AFP

Iraqi interim prime minister Iyad Allawi Friday urged the European Union to use its influence with Syria and Iran to stop them from “fuelling violence” in his country.

“We need your help in persuading Iraq’s neighbours that fuelling violence in Iraq will only damage their own security in the long term,” he told European Union leaders in a speech made available to the press.

“I hope that the European Union will use its relations with Syria and Iran to deliver that message in the clearest terms,” he said during his lunch meeting with the EU leaders at a summit here.

Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawar this week accused Iran of orchestrating attacks in southern Iraq and of being “behind the assassination of more than 18 Iraqi intelligence officers”.

The US and British governments have repeatedly accused Damascus of not doing enough to prevent Iraqi insurgents entering the country via the Syrian border.

But Syria has rejected accusations that former associates of ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein are directing the insurgency from across the border.