20 October 2009

Obama Praises Democratic Advances in Iraq

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, left, conferred with President Obama October 20 at the White House.

By Merle David Kellerhals Jr.
Staff Writer

Washington — President Obama praised the democratic commitment of the Iraqi people and their government as he also called for timely passage of a new election law for January 2010 parliamentary elections.

Obama met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki October 20 at the White House.

“We had a wide-ranging discussion about the continuing progress that Iraq is making,” Obama said after a nearly hourlong Oval Office meeting. “We have seen in the last several months a consolidation of a commitment to democratic politics inside of Iraq.”

“We are very interested, both of us, in making sure that Iraq has an election law that is completed on time so that elections can take place on time in January,” Obama added.

Iraq is scheduled to hold nationwide parliamentary elections January 16, 2010, but under an elections law that dates back to the regime of Saddam Hussein. Election officials warn that they need the new law in place as early as possible to allow time to set up polling places and other machinery necessary for a national election.

The parliament is working to create a new law, but is finding the way ahead difficult and has postponed a vote on the law. Among other issues, the current law, used in the 2005 election, requires closed election lists.

The pending new law would require open lists, which name candidates and their political parties, instead of closed lists, which list only the names of political parties. Open lists would give voters greater choice in the candidates they choose to serve in parliament. This parliamentary election is seen as a step in Iraqi efforts to strengthen a democratic system launched after the fall of Saddam in 2003.

“A strong, free, prosperous Iraq is not only important for Iraqis but also is key to a strong and stable region,” Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said October 20 at the opening of the U.S.-Iraq Business and Investment Conference in Washington.

Maliki combined his Washington visit with the Business and Investment Conference, which offers U.S. firms a chance to learn about trade and investment opportunities in Iraq. Iraq is set to hold a second bidding round with global energy companies December 11–12 that ultimately could add millions of barrels of oil to Iraq’s output. The first bidding round was held in June, and China National Petroleum Corporation and BP PLC were given deals in the Rumaila oil field, the first foreign companies to be allowed to invest in Iraq’s oil sector since 1972.

Obama also said that the United States is on track to remove all of its combat forces from Iraq by August 2010, leaving about 50,000 personnel in an advisory role. All U.S. forces are scheduled for withdrawal by the end of 2011 under an agreement Iraq reached with the Bush administration.

“We didn’t just talk about military and security issues,” Obama said. “What is wonderful about this trip is that it represents a transition beyond security and we are beginning to talk about economy, trade, commerce.”

Maliki said the Washington conference is a major demonstration of the importance of economic development in Iraq. The conference brings together more than 1,000 business entrepreneurs and an Iraqi delegation.

“I have also discussed with President Obama the various issues and the fact that our relations today have moved along and [are] not only confined to the security cooperation, but today have moved to the economic development and to providing prosperity for the Iraqi people,” Maliki said through an interpreter.

Maliki asked for Obama’s support in getting the U.N. Security Council to lift sanctions imposed on Iraq during Saddam’s regime.

“We have put forth a lot of common sacrifices, and today … there is a pluralistic political system in Iraq. This is important to move Iraq forward and to promote investment,” Maliki said.

Maliki held private talks with Vice President Biden at an October 19 breakfast meeting. According to a White House statement, “In his meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki earlier (October 19), Vice President Biden noted that the October 20–21 U.S.-Iraq Business and Investment Conference is an important part of our efforts to promote cooperation under the U.S.-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement. The vice president also encouraged the Iraqi Council of Representatives to act expeditiously on an election law that will set the terms for transparent political participation in the upcoming Iraqi national elections.”

A transcript of remarks by Obama and Maliki is available on America.gov.