US position on Rice meeting with Chalabi
Iraq-USA, Politics, 11/9/2005

The US Department of State spokesman, Adam Ereli, was asked why the US Secretary Of State, Condoleezza Rice was meeting with Ahmad Chalabi, who was previously denounced by the US, and had had problems with the Iraqi police breaking into his house to collect documents, where Chalabi blamed the US for that.

Ereli was asked yesterday that "FBI officials are saying that Mr. Chalabi is still under investigation for possibly leaking US intelligence to Iran. Why is the Secretary meeting with him, when he's under investigation by the FBI, when there are so many clouds as to -- under his activities?"

ERELI: Well, I can't speak to the investigation: (a) because I don't have the facts and (b) because it's a law enforcement matter.

QUESTION: But just, you know --

ERELI: But second of all --

QUESTION: Okay.

ERELI: Second of all, I'd make the point that, number one Ahmed Chalabi is the Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq. He is an official and a representative of the Government of Iraq; that in that capacity, US Government officials regularly meet with Dr. Chalabi. They meet with him when they go to Iraq and they meet with him in -- outside of Iraq in international fora and they're going to meet with him when he comes here -- Secretary Rice and others.

And look, one of our key priorities with Iraq is to help support the economic recovery of the country. As Deputy Prime Minister, Dr. Chalabi is responsible for the energy sector. So there is a key item on the agenda to engage with this gentleman and I think American interests are well served by doing so.

QUESTION: There was a period where no officials wanted to meet with him. He was kind of on the ins with Washington before the war and then there was a period where he was on the outs with Washington. Would you say that he's back in the good graces of the US?

ERELI: I would say that he is a member of the Government of Iraq, an official of the Government of Iraq, and there are things that are important for us to talk about with him.

Previous Stories:
  US general says Iraqi security forces making great progress   (11/8/2005)
  Al-Mutlaq threatens to boycott the elections   (11/7/2005)
  The Independent: US soldier kills superior officers in Iraq   (11/5/2005)
  US views on the Iraqi constitution referendum   (10/19/2005)
  Greenstock: Chalabi's recommendations were behind bad estimates on the Iraqi resistance; Marine hostage status unkown   (7/5/2004)
  Chalabi demands compensations and investigation.. Jordan persists to detain him, defies tenet to be brought together before the Congress   (5/24/2004)
  Washington gives up one of its closest partners in occupation: breaking into Ahmad al-Chalabi home   (5/21/2004)
  CIA continues to finance Chalabi group for information about Iraqi resistance   (3/13/2004)
  Chalabi considers lifting sanctions as a perpetuation of Iraq's occupation   (5/24/2003)
  Pentagon daily briefing on Iraq   (4/15/2003)
  Iraqi opposition meets with US officials   (5/25/1999)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search