EU urged to 'do more' to help rebuild Iraq

The EU has been urged to do more to help the reconstruction process in Iraq.

“Yes, absolutely,” said Iraqi foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari,  when asked if he expected a bigger contribution from the EU in helping to rebuild his war-torn country.

He was speaking after a meeting with parliament president Hans-Gert Poettering in Brussels on Tuesday.

He told journalists that the situation in Iraq had improved “significantly” in recent weeks.

“This is due to the resistance of the Iraqi people, the support of the multinational forces and the willingness to embrace a new democracy in the country,” he said.

“We will continue to work hard towards reconstruction of the country and the outcome will determine the fate of the whole region.”

Turning to the continued possibility of a major Turkish military incursion into northern Iraq, he praised the “self-restraint shown by the Turkish authorities” in refraining from such action.

“I believe Turkey has shown wisely a great deal of self-restraint in order not to destabilise the situation in Iraq,” he said.

Poettering said, “We had a fruitful meeting and I am happy to say that things are developing well in Iraq.

Their get-together comes ahead of a meeting today of the conference president, or group leaders, on the current situation in the Middle East.

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