Khaberni - Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki confirmed on Monday that he will not withdraw his candidacy for the presidency of the government, which is opposed by the United States.
In an interview with France Press Agency, he said, "I have no intention of withdrawing at all, because I respect the state to which I belong, its sovereignty and its will, and no one has the right to say do not elect this person and elect that one."
He referred to the fact that the Coordination Framework, which forms the largest bloc in the Iraqi parliament and consists mostly of prominent Shiite parties close to Iran, "agreed on this nomination. Therefore, out of respect for the position, I will not withdraw, and I have said it in many statements, there is no withdrawal to the end."
* Restricting arms to the state
Al-Maliki, the candidate for the upcoming presidency of the government, reiterated his commitment to restricting arms to the state, a demand also made by the United States.
He added, "Yes, there is pressure from the American side, and several messages have been sent that have recently stabilized on demands concerning the state."
He continued, "In truth, America has not brought anything new. These are our demands. We want (concentration of) arms in the hand of the state. We want centralization of the military power. We have repeatedly stated: we want one army under one command, and a conference by order of the state directly, without multiple managements of the existing arms."
* No encroachments on embassies in Iraq
Al-Maliki affirmed his objection to any encroachment on diplomatic premises in Iraq, amidst the escalation between Iran and the United States.
He stated, "We will not allow any confrontation against any country that has a diplomatic presence, and against any embassies in Iraq by any other party."
He continued, "Let all countries be reassured that we prevent any encroachment on their embassies or their official recognized interests in Iraq."
Al-Maliki also confirmed his commitment to the relationship with Iran, the eastern neighbour of his country, and believed in the importance of the relationship with the United States at the same time.
Regarding the relations that link his country with Iran, he said, "We do not disdain the relationship with Iran, we have borders (extending) for 1300 kilometers, and we have common interests."
However, he emphasized that "the relationship with the American side is crucial for the rise of Iraq," "Iraq as a state that wants to rise needs a strong and large nurturing state and America has experiences in nurturing countries."
