Qatar's FM asks Washington to stay in Iraq

The foreign minister of Qatar Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasem Bin Jabber al-Thani on Monday asked the US to abide by staying in Iraq until stability is restored. He also urged the administration of the US President George W. Bush to permit former members of the Baath party to take part in running the affairs of the country.

In a speech he had delivered before the Los Angeles Town Hall Forum, Sheikh Hamad said that the US has a duty to remain ( in Iraq ) for a time until stability is attained there.

He indicated that many of the Iraqis had joined the Baath party in seek of work and to feed their families and those should not be ruled out from establishments like the army and the police in the context of the efforts to rebuild the country. He said that such a policy has converted huge number of Iraqis into enemies for the US. He said " let's ignore affiliation to the Baath party."

Replying to a question on al-Jazeera TV channel, he said " we are committed to the freedom of the press in Qatar which means news not to be " in your interests all the time," noting that al-Jazeera mirrors the views of most of the Arabs.