Armitaj in Qatar to discuss conditions in Iraq

US under secretary of state Richard Armitaj yesterday arrived in Doha in the context of a visit, the Qatari foreign minister Hamad Bin jasem al-Thani said aims at holding discussions and asking for consultations on best means to ease down conditions in Iraq peacefully.

In a joint press conference with the American official upon his arrival in Doha, the Qatari minister stressed that keeping the American forces in Iraq is a very important matter at the meantime until conditions are settled and sovereignty return back to the Iraqis. Armitaj, for his part said that the evacuation of the Spanish forces is not surprising as a new prime minister has assumed power there.

He added in the press conference that there is no fear over the withdrawal of other countries which contribute with the US its occupation of Iraq, denying that the American administration had asked Arab states to send Arab forces to Iraq.