Forging Links with Europe

Instead of making his first trip to Iraq's former occupying power, the US, the country's interim foreign minister is meeting his EU colleagues on Monday in Brussels. In doing so, he demonstrates the country's independence. By Bernd Riegert

photo: AP — Hoshyar Zebari met his European colleagues for talks

At first, Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Alawi accepted the invitation of the European Union's Dutch presidency to travel to Brussels this Monday to attend a regular meeting of the EU's foreign ministers.

But sources in Brussels said that Alawi, who has served as head of the Iraqi interim government since June 28, was forced to cancel the trip because of the deteriorating security situation back home.

Instead, he'll be sending Hoshyar Zebari, who will attend a luncheon with the foreign ministers and discuss Iraq's wishes with the Europeans.

The Belgian capital had been planned as the first stop for Alawi, who was also going to travel to a handful of Middle Eastern countries and Britain.

Demonstrating independence

The fact that he didn't plan to make his first trip Iraq's former occupying power, the United States, has been seen in Brussels as a sign that the Iraqi interim government, which was created with the de facto support of the US and Britain, is seeking to demonstrate its independence and to forge links with Europe.

In Brussels, Zebari is also expected to visit NATO headquarters. At the NATO summit in Turkey two weeks ago, the alliance offered its Iraq aid in developing its security forces. However, the specifics of the deal – how that training will be provided and how expansive it will be – must still be negotiated.

Germany has called for the training to be conducted outside of Iraq and has, indeed, refused to send any troops inside the country for training or any other purpose. Instead, it is pushing for the training to happen at a NATO school in the city of Oberammergau.

In the preparations for the meeting with the Iraqi foreign minister, the EU foreign ministers only succeeded in uniting on one front: a generally reserved statement offering Iraq help with its reconstruction and the organization of free elections.

The brakes were applied to broader demands from Britain and Poland, which both have troops stationed in Iraq, by war opponents Germany and France, diplomats told Deutsche Welle.

Petersberg Conference for Iraq?

It's still unclear, for example, when the EU will open its own office in Baghdad or when it will begin the training of police it has pledged.

Since 2003, the European Union has made around €305 million in aid payments to Iraq. In the coming year, it is expected to provide an additional €200 million. The foreign ministers are expected to confirm this sum again during Zebari's visit.

Otherwise, the ministers are expected to discuss with Zebari laws in Iraq pertaining to states of emergency, the possibility of debt relief for Iraq as well as the planning of a possible international Iraq conference similar to the successful Petersberg Conference for Afghanistan that was held near the German city of Bonn.

Bernd Riegert