This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/24/john-kerry-iraq-visit-iran-syria

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
John Kerry urges Iraq to help stop Iranian arms shipments to Syria John Kerry urges Iraq to help stop Iranian arms shipments to Syria
(about 4 hours later)
US secretary of state John Kerry on Sunday urged Iraq's leaders on an unannounced visit to Baghdad to halt Iranian overflights of weapons and fighters heading to Syria and to overcome sectarian differences that still threaten Iraqi stability 10 years after the American-led invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein. The US has made clear to Iraq that it shouldn't allow Iran to use its airspace to ship weapons and fighters to Syria, secretary of state John Kerry told reporters Sunday during an unannounced trip to Baghdad.
In meetings with Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki and other senior officials, Kerry was telling them to stop Iranian aircraft from using Iraqi airspace to fly military personnel and equipment to support the Syrian government as it battles rebels. Iran and Iraq both say the flights are laden with humanitarian supplies, but the US and others believe they are filled with weapons and fighters to help the Assad regime. Kerry's comments come as US lawmakers are calling for President Barack Obama to do more to stop the bloodshed in Syria, including possible airstrikes against Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's aircraft fleet. US officials say ongoing efforts to aid opposition groups in Syria have been undermined by Iran, which is using Iraqi airspace without objections by Iraq.
In the absence of a complete ban on flights, the US would at least like the planes to land and be inspected in Iraq to ensure that they are carrying humanitarian supplies. Former secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton secured a pledge from Iraq to inspect the flights last year, but since then only two aircraft have been checked by Iraqi authorities, according to US officials. On Sunday, Kerry said Iraq's tacit approval of Iranian overflights left the American people "wondering how it is a partner".
The overflights have long been a source of contention between the US and Iraq and Kerry will tell the Iraqis that allowing them to continue will make the situation in Syria worse and ultimately threaten Iraq's stability. "I made it very clear that for those of us who are engaged in an effort to see President Assad step down … anything that supports President Assad is problematic," Kerry said following a private discussion with Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki.
The Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, congressman Mike Rogers of Michigan, on Sunday called for a greater US presence in the Syrian conflict to prevent chemical and conventional weapons from falling into the wrong hands. He said the US should create a "safe zone" in northern Syria that would give the US more leverage with opposition forces.
"This doesn't mean the 101st Airborne Division and ships" are deployed, Rogers told CBS's Face the Nation. ''It means small groups with special capabilities reengaging the opposition so we can vet them, train them, equip them so they can be an effective fighting force."
Rogers' comments reflect an increasingly frustrated Congress that sees unrest in Syria as dangerous to US interests. Last week, senators Carl Levin and John McCain asked Obama in a letter to step up US military efforts in the region, including destroying Assad's aircraft using precision airstrikes.
The overflights in Iraq have long been a source of contention between the US and Iraq.
US officials say that in the absence of a complete ban on flights, the US would at least like the planes to land and be inspected in Iraq to ensure that they are carrying humanitarian supplies. Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton secured a pledge from Iraq to inspect the flights last year, but since then only two aircraft have been checked by Iraqi authorities, according to US officials.
One senior US official said the sheer number of overflights, which occur "close to daily", along with shipments trucked to Syria from Iran through Iraq, was inconsistent with claims they are only carrying humanitarian supplies. The official said it was in Iraq's interest to prevent the situation in Syria from deteriorating further, particularly as there are fears that al-Qaida-linked extremists may gain a foothold in the country as the Assad regime falters.One senior US official said the sheer number of overflights, which occur "close to daily", along with shipments trucked to Syria from Iran through Iraq, was inconsistent with claims they are only carrying humanitarian supplies. The official said it was in Iraq's interest to prevent the situation in Syria from deteriorating further, particularly as there are fears that al-Qaida-linked extremists may gain a foothold in the country as the Assad regime falters.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorised to publicly preview Kerry's meetings, said there are clear links between al-Qaida linked extremists operating in Syria and militants who are also carrying out terrorist attacks in Iraqi territory with increasing regularity. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorised to speak publicly, said there are clear links between al-Qaida linked extremists operating in Syria and militants who are also carrying out terrorist attacks in Iraqi territory with increasing regularity.
A group of fighters in Syria known as Jabhat al-Nusra, a powerful offshoot of al-Qaida in Iraq that the US has designated a terrorist organisation, has claimed responsibility for most of the deadliest suicide bombings against regime and military facilities and, as a result, has gained popularity among some rebels. In addition to al-Maliki, Kerry saw Iraqi parliament speaker parliament speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, a Sunni, whose faction is at odds with Maliki's Shiia. Kerry also spoke by phone with Massoud Barzani, the head of the Kurdish Regional Government based in Irbil to encourage the Kurds not go ahead with unilateral actions – especially involving oil, like a pipeline deal with Turkey.
Kerry will tell al-Maliki, a Shiite with close ties to Iran, that Iraq cannot be part of the political discussion about Syria's future until it clamps down on the Iranian shipments, the senior official said.
As Iraq approaches provincial elections next month, Kerry will also stress the importance of ensuring that all elements of society feel enfranchised, the official said. A recent decision to delay the polls in Anbar and Nineveh provinces is a "serious setback" to Iraq's democratic institutions and should be revisited, the official said.
In addition to al-Maliki, Kerry saw Iraqi parliament speaker parliament speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, a Sunni, whose faction is at odds with Maliki's Shiia. Kerry also plans to speak by phone with Massoud Barzani, the head of the Kurdish Regional Government based in Irbil to encourage the Kurds not go ahead with unilateral actions – especially involving oil, like a pipeline deal with Turkey.
He will stress the "importance of maintaining the unity of Iraq", say that "separate efforts undercut the unity of the country" and that "the Kurdish republic cannot survive financially without the support of Baghdad", the official said.