ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, July 6, 2008
UAE Cancels $7 Billion Debt Owed By Iraq
United Arab Emirates To Restore Diplomatic Mission In Baghdad
-
(CBS)
-
Interactive Iraq: 5 Years At War Five years after the U.S.-led invasion, the war wears on.
The move is part of a recent warming between Iraq's Shiite-led government and its mostly Sunni Muslim neighbors. Washington has pushed Gulf states like the UAE to restore ties with the war-torn country. Jordan named an ambassador last week, and Kuwait and Bahrain say appointments are imminent.
The Emirates' official news agency, WAM, quoted the country's president, Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as saying he hoped canceling the debt would lighten the "economic burden" facing Iraqis, who he urged to unite behind al-Maliki's government.
WAM said the debt was $4 billion not including interest. A UAE official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media said the total debt was $7 billion when interest was added.
The Bush White House applauded the Emirates for forgiving the debt and resuming diplomatic operations in Iraq, reports CBS News Correspondent Mark Knoller.
"The United States welcomes the announcement by the United Arab Emirates to cancel Iraqi debt, appoint an ambassador and reopen their embassy in Baghdad," said White House Spokesman Gordon Johndroe. "We appreciate the Emiratis' recognition that a secure and prosperous Iraq is in the interests of everyone in the region. Prime Minister Maliki and the Government of Iraq should also be applauded for their continued outreach to their neighbors, and their efforts to advance a positive agenda through regional diplomacy."
The announcement came as Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was visiting the Emirates. An Iraqi government spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, confirmed his government was notified of the debt cancellation.
Al-Dabbagh also said Abdullah al-Shehi, the UAE's former head of mission in India, was named ambassador to Iraq. The country said last month that an appointment was upcoming.
The UAE withdrew its ambassador to Iraq after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and after one of its diplomats was kidnapped and later released.
Sunni militant groups like al Qaeda in Iraq, mistrustful of Iraq's Shiite government, have warned Arab states not to open embassies in Baghdad. The capital's first major car bomb of the war struck the Jordanian Embassy, killing 19 people. Diplomats from Egypt, Morocco, Bahrain, Turkey and Sudan have all been either killed, wounded or kidnapped in Iraq.
The U.S. has sought to blunt fears among Sunni Arab countries like the Emirates and Saudi Arabia over Iran, the largest Shiite Muslim nation, which has been expanding its influence inside Iraq - also a majority Shiite country.
Al-Maliki chided his Arab "brothers" at an April conference of Iraq's neighbors in Kuwait, saying he found it "difficult to explain why diplomatic exchange has not taken place."
"Many foreign countries have kept their diplomatic missions in Baghdad and did not make security excuses," al-Maliki said at the time.
Iraqi officials have also been appealing for relief of at least $67 billion in foreign debt - owned mostly to Arab countries that have been reluctant to forgive Iraq's belligerence during Saddam Hussein's regime.
In addition, the U.N. Compensation Commission says $28 billion remains to be paid for Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Iraq now gives 5 percent of its oil revenue to meet the compensation claims.
Last year, Saudi Arabia announced it would forgive the portion of Iraq's debt it holds, but the Iraqi government has said it has so far failed to do so. American officials have urged patience, saying debt relief takes time.
Emirati president Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan said Sunday to WAM he hoped canceling part of the debt would "lighten the economic burden facing Iraqi people."
Khalifa also urged Iraqis to unite behind the Shiite-led government and praised its efforts to restore the country's stability and security.
American Soldier Dies, U.S. Death Toll Up To 4,114
The U.S. military said an American soldier in Iraq has died of a non-combat cause.
A military statement says the soldier died Saturday.
The statement released Sunday does not elaborate. It says the soldier was assigned to Multinational Corps-Iraq.
An unofficial count by The Associated Press shows at least 4,114 members of the U.S. military have died in Iraq since the war began in March 2003.
Car Comb Explodes In Shiite Neighborhood
A car bomb in northern Baghdad killed six people and injured 14 others, including three policemen, Iraqi police and medical officials said.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Sunday's bombing occurred in the predominantly Shiite Shaab neighbourhood.
The injured were taken to al-Kindi Teaching Hospital in the Nahda neighborhood, where AP Television footage showed some of the injured receiving treatment.
Speaking to AP Television, Dr. Ali Abdul-Rahman said the hospital had received five cases, "one was dead and the others are wounded."
The attack comes after Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said on Saturday that the government had defeated terrorism in the country, in a sign of growing confidence after recent crackdowns against Sunni extremists and Shiite militias.
Al-Maliki launched the crackdowns to extend the authority of the government over areas in Baghdad and elsewhere that have largely been under the control of armed groups since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
Although violence in the country has fallen to its lowest level in four years, daily attacks continue throughout Iraq.
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Add a Comment See all 25 Comments
- Ihope they continue to bomb the hell out of each other until there is no one worth saving left to save.If these people dont want thier children killed quit having them until the war ends or it all comes down to sperm bank.
- Reply to this comment
- FeelFreek4U just referred to "YOUR impotent Fuhrer".
FeelFreek4U, a subhuman Arab jihadist posing as a patriotic American. - Reply to this comment
- Send the bill to China.
- Reply to this comment
- Debt forgiven, the free flowing of all of that beautiful Iraqi oil, this are going to get better at the gas pump, right George McBush?
- Reply to this comment
- Does this mean the Dubai is going to cut the already meager wages of their foreign constrution workers to make up the difference?
Or...maybe this will free-up money to pay AT&T and KBR so that UAE can invest in these companies and get a return on the forgiven debt. - Reply to this comment
- The list of failures are too many and the most for one sitting President since Herbert Hoover.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What can you expect from an idiot moron like W. who is, himself, a failure? Moreover, everyone who embraces his politics and supports his fascist regime is a failure, too. Amem. Praise, Jeee-zus! - Reply to this comment
Re: "Posted by OneAmerican"
I don''t think that your spamming effort will offset the crippling multi-front defeats that your impotent Fuhrer has saddled us all with.- Reply to this comment
- There are today abundantly more signs of political progress by the Iraqi government - which was the predicted benefit of increased security brought by President Bushs'' surge of troops.
Deaths in Iraq have fallen to levels below that of the war gainst the Taliban in Afghanistan, and peace, reconcilliation, and the Iraqis themselves are returning to Iraq.
Hardened, closed-minded far-left liberals, like Barack Obama and his surrogate John Kerry, try as they might to "nuance" or outrightly deny this progress - only expose their hatred for America - and the fact that the Bush-bashers are rapidly losing their War on America.
You will be defeated, liberals - and Amercans will never forget how you sought to destroy our country for the sake of your own political gain.
Get the REAL story that the liberals won''t admit to-
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM:
www.mnf-iraq.com - Reply to this comment
Re: "A car bomb in northern Baghdad killed six people and injured 14 others, including three policemen, Iraqi police and medical officials said."
Hmmm...it couldn''t have been the imaginary "al-Qaeda-in-Iraq" boogy-men.
Our puppet Maliki just announced that they are re-re-re-re-re-re-defeated again.
Must have been another Blackwater job.- Reply to this comment
- This war was based on lies and propaganda.
By the way this message is brought to you by a disgusted former republican who will now vote independant.
Posted by deacon20081
Wow, what a dump and brain wash comment. - Reply to this comment
- UAE Cancels $7 Billion Debt Owed By Iraq
Says, don''t worry, we''ll just add it on the Americans tab - Reply to this comment
- Republicans need to check into a mental home.
I''ve never seen such denial of their failure that engulfs us now.
The Economy is a failure
The War in Iraq is a failure
(casualties continue to mount and Bush promises to send in more troops next year to try and save face for the surge failure)
The Surge was a failure
(no need for qualifying that statement because it''s too obvious)
The Response to Katrina was a failure.
No Child Left Behind was a failure.
The Creation of Homeland Security is a failure.
(doesn''t include checking cargo)
The list of failures are too many and the most for one sitting President since Herbert Hoover. - Reply to this comment
- What''s the big deal? Bush said, their oil would pay for the war, right? I laugh at the stupidity of the sheeple who fell for this whole scam based on lies. Fill er up.
- Reply to this comment
Re: "Your name must describe you very well, you sound like someone who just escaped from a Nut House."
Posted by dmw1167
Neither your tantrums, nor your flag-waving propaganda efforts, will change the reality of the situation.
Tough luck.- Reply to this comment
Check out all the busy ***-polishers here, trying to convince folks that the lie-based and criminal war of aggression against Iraq is anything less than a crippling defeat, and a heinous crime, for which several traitors in the regime are due to be hanged.- Reply to this comment
Re: "Deaths in Iraq have fallen to levels below that of the war gainst the Taliban in Afghanistan..."
Posted by OneAmerican
That''s true. Last year was the deadlies year yet for U.S. soldiers in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and casualties are already 50% higher in Afghanistan this year.
What you seem to be confused about is that citing the increasing defeat in Afghanistan is not evidence that the catastrophic debacle and staggering multi-front U.S. defeat in the criminal war of aggression against Iraq, is any less of a failure or disgrace.
It only means that the disgraceful misadventure against Afghanistan is becoming more so.- Reply to this comment
- There are today abundantly more signs of political progress by the Iraqi government - which was the predicted benefit of increased security brought by President Bushs'' surge of troops.
Deaths in Iraq have fallen to levels below that of the war gainst the Taliban in Afghanistan, and peace, reconcilliation, and the Iraqis themselves are returing to Iraq.
Hardened, closed-minded far-left liberals, like Barack Obama, try as they might to "nuance" or outrightly deny this progress - only expose their hatred for America - and the fact that the Bush-bashers are rapidly losing their War on America.
You will be defeated, liberals - and Amercans will never forget how you sought to destroy our country for the sake of your own political gain. - Reply to this comment
Re: "Posted by perceptions5 at 01:36 PM"
With your proven 110% record of inaccuracy, we can be confident that the opposite of your claims here are true.- Reply to this comment
- One American....
What an ignorant view of reality
Your claims the "liberals" are destroying our country are simply a sign of senility. You swallow line and sinker the propaganda of the republican party do you not. I hope personally you choke on it.
Perhaps when Bush returns that 50 BILLION he is holding Hostage of Iraq''s money in our banks a true change will occur. This war was based on lies and propaganda.
By the way this message is brought to you by a disgusted former republican who will now vote independant. - Reply to this comment
- More signs of political progress by the Iraqi government - which was the predicted benefit of increased security brought by President Bushs'' surge of troops.
Hardened, closed-mind far-left liberals, try as they might, to "nuance" or outrightly deny this progress - only expose their hatred for America - and the fact that the Bush-bashers are rapidly losing their War on America.
You will be defeated, liberals - and Amercans will never forget how you fought to destroy our country. - Reply to this comment
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
