Baghdad: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged Iraqi leaders to address the “root causes” of a surge in bloodshed as security forces clashed on Monday with gunmen in violence-racked Anbar province.
But Nuri al-Maliki, standing next to Ban at a joint news conference, insisted that the Anbar unrest was not due to internal problems, and that dialogue with people opposing him, mainly Sunni tribes, was not an option.
It’s been reported that in the next few days Quds Force Commander Ghasem Suleimani intends to have a secret visit to Iraq to evaluate the issue of military support for Maliki’s government.
The UN chief’s visit to Baghdad comes just months ahead of general elections, with the country suffering its worst spate of unrest since 2008.
“I would urge the leaders of the country … To address the root causes of the problems,” Ban said..
“They should ensure that there is nobody left behind. There should be political cohesion” and “social cohesion, and political dialogue, inclusive dialogue,” he said.
“The security situation in Iraq is undoubtedly a source of great concern,” said Ban, adding that he is “deeply concerned by this escalation of violence in Anbar governorate.”
But Maliki insisted that “what is happening in Anbar has no relation to Iraqi problems” and ruled out any peaceful dialogue.
He claimed events in the province have united Iraqis and therefore “today, there is nothing called dialogue.”
