EU to seal 'bi-lateral' relations with new Iraq

The European Commission has welcomed a “new era” for Iraq ahead of adopting a blueprint for EU relations with Baghdad.

A unanimous UN Security Council resolution heralds the first steps to Iraqi sovereignty after the US-led overthrow of Saddam Hussein.

Brussels chief Romano Prodi has welcomed the move ahead of a Wednesday commission meeting focused on new EU-Iraq relations.

“This is a start of a process that will strengthen the role of the United Nations and lead to a full transfer of power to the hands of a democratic Iraqi government within a sovereign Iraq,” he said.

"The resolution strengthens the role of the UN as a guarantor of the political and economic reconstruction of this country."

Commissioners – meeting in the wings of a Sea Island G8 summit – are to back a text “setting out a three phase programme, to progressively build relations between the EU and Iraq”. 

“The medium-term aim [is] to open negotiations for a bilateral agreement, after the establishment of a constitutional, democratically elected [Iraqi] government,” said a commission statement.

A new spirit of international accord focused on a boosted UN role has followed deep divisions between Washington and European capitals over the US-led invasion of Iraq.

Germany and France led opposition to the war squaring up against governments in London, Rome and Warsaw that provided trrops for the American-led occupation.

Prodi, who is campaigning in Italian elections to withdraw Rome's troops from Baghdad, is putting the past behind him in a new push to rebuild Iraq.

“What we need is long-term engagement, the US working hand in hand with the Iraqi people, the international community, together with the countries of the region,” Prodi said.

"Now the Iraqi people have in front of them an enormous challenge: to bring stability to the country after a long and brutal dictatorship of Saddam Hussein - and after a violent conflict that has put an end to this era in such a divisive manner."

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