Somalina Posted March 30, 2012 Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Thursday hosted Baghdad's first Arab League summit in two decades, a meeting dominated by Syria's crisis. As the summit began, a rocket exploded near the Iranian embassy in Baghdad on the edge of the fortified Green Zone, where leaders were meeting under extremely tight security in a Saddam Hussein-era palace. "The blast happened close to the Iranian embassy. The windows of the embassy have been shattered, but there are no casualties," a senior Iraqi security source said. Two other rockets struck central and western Baghdad. After years of war, Iraq's Shi'ite-led government hopes the Baghdad summit will highlight its stability and renewed role in the Arab region, where Sunni Gulf nations have long been wary of Iraq's close ties to Shi'ite power Iran. Nine Arab League leaders met Maliki on Thursday, including the emir of Kuwait, the only high-ranking Gulf Arab leader to take part and the only such visitor since Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990. The summit was twice delayed because of Baghdad's clashes with its Gulf neighbors over a crackdown on Shi'ite protesters by Bahrain's Sunni leadership, with the aid of fellow Sunni monarchies Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. Reflecting the region's wariness, Sunni power Saudi Arabia sent its Arab League delegate, while Qatar said it had sent a low-level delegation to Baghdad as a message to Iraq's leadership about its relations with Iraq's Sunni minority. "Qatar didn't boycott the Arab League's summit in Baghdad but it tried to signal a message to its Iraqi brothers," Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Bin al-Thani told Al Jazeera television. Leaders attending were from Sudan, Somalia, Comoros, Djibouti, Lebanon, Palestine, Tunisia, Kuwait and Libya. In the weeks before the meeting, Iraq pursued a campaign of detente with Gulf nations. Saudi Arabia named its first envoy in two decades, Kuwait reached a $500 million deal to end a standoff over debt, and Baghdad paid $408 million to Egyptian workers who fled the 1990-91 Gulf War. But the summit is being held as Sunni Arab powers and Shi'ite Iran increasingly jockey for influence in the Middle East, split along sectarian lines over Syria's crisis and Western sanctions on Tehran. Gulf Arab states also worry about Iraq's influence over their own Shi'ite communities. "Any expectations that the Maliki government will be able to emerge as a significant regional player are likely to be disappointed," Crispin Hawes at Eurasia Group said. "Among its neighbors Iraq is viewed with great suspicion and some fear." SYRIA TOPS AGENDA The summit comes as Iraq's power-sharing government among Sunni, Shi'ite and Kurdish blocs crawls back from a crisis following the departure of last U.S. troops in December, nine years after the 2003 invasion. Maliki in December sought the arrest of one Sunni leader and asked lawmakers to sideline another Sunni deputy in measures that fuelled regional worries Iraq might once again slide into broad sectarian violence. Many Iraqi Sunnis, the minority who dominated under Saddam, saw the move as an attempt to shore up Maliki's position at their expense. While violence from Iraq's conflict has ebbed since the days of sectarian carnage in 2006-2007, al Qaeda affiliates and other Sunni Islamist insurgents are still a threat. Iraq's al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for a series of bombs in Baghdad and other cities last week that killed 52 people, a reminder of their capacity to carry out coordinated attacks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xaaji Xunjuf Posted March 30, 2012 Its awesome news that Iraq ancient Babylon is hosting the Arab league summit after such a long period there are many issues on the agenda the Syrian crisis and with the Arab spring and also Libyan crisis ,and Saudi officials being abducted in Yemen and ofcourse tensions around the Persian Gulf.Somalia an Arab nation her political problems should also be addressed to the fellow Arab states in the middle east i am sure President sharif did that he and president IOG should next time wear a nice colorful cumamaad:D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Somalina Posted March 30, 2012 President Jalal Talabani on Wednesday, in Baghdad , received President of Somalia Sharif Ahmed and his accompanying delegation . President Talabani , at the meeting, wished the visit of President Ahmed to be a beginning to establish best ties and expand joint cooperation between the two countries . Talabani reiterated Iraq’s support for Somalia in order to solve its problems and regain its unity and stability. PUKmedia 29-03-2012 11:58:02 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacpher Posted March 30, 2012 President Dalxiis enjoying what he does best. I watched it live for a little bit but I didn't see him speak. This is the only venue I could understand President Dalxiis speaking Arabic. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
General Duke Posted March 31, 2012 President Sharif has grown in stature.. Great pics.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rudy-Diiriye Posted April 1, 2012 This man is the biggest rat or giir of somali politics!! I know hes gonna end up in sad situation pretty soon!! i hate this mofo! hes the stupidest mofo. Hes got no brains and is big time croney. I am sure when is work time is over that he will be shipped to dc! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
