Biden Urges Iraq 'National Dialogue' in Call with Kadhimi

US President Joe Biden speaks during a bill signing ceremony in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, US August 16, 2022. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo
US President Joe Biden speaks during a bill signing ceremony in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, US August 16, 2022. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo
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Biden Urges Iraq 'National Dialogue' in Call with Kadhimi

US President Joe Biden speaks during a bill signing ceremony in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, US August 16, 2022. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo
US President Joe Biden speaks during a bill signing ceremony in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, US August 16, 2022. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo

US President Joe Biden urged Iraqis Wednesday to support dialogue to resolve a months-long political crisis that erupted into violence, in a call with Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi.

Biden “commended” Kadhimi's “personal leadership during escalating tensions and violence over a 24-hour period earlier this week," the White House said in a statement after their call, adding the two leaders agreed to stay in touch in the coming weeks.

Biden and Kadhimi "welcomed the return of security to the streets, and called on all Iraqi leaders to engage in a national dialogue to forge a common way forward consistent with Iraq's constitution and laws," the statement said.

The US leader also voiced support for "a sovereign and independent Iraq.”

Kadhimi had in mid-August called for a national dialogue involving main political leaders, although Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr did not agree to participate.

Tensions escalated sharply Monday when Sadr said he would quit politics, with his supporters storming an area in Baghdad's high-security Green Zone in violence that killed 30 people.



Arab-US Coordination Aims to Resolve Sudan Crisis

Group photo at the conclusion of the Geneva talks on Sudan in August 2023. (EPA)
Group photo at the conclusion of the Geneva talks on Sudan in August 2023. (EPA)
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Arab-US Coordination Aims to Resolve Sudan Crisis

Group photo at the conclusion of the Geneva talks on Sudan in August 2023. (EPA)
Group photo at the conclusion of the Geneva talks on Sudan in August 2023. (EPA)

An Egyptian official told Asharq Al-Awsat about new Arab-American efforts to support peace efforts in Sudan. The source, who requested anonymity, said that Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, and the US are working together to help resolve the crisis in Sudan.

The official added that a meeting last weekend in Saudi Arabia, attended by officials from the four countries, focused on boosting efforts to end the crisis.

These four countries had previously joined US-led talks in Geneva in August, alongside the UN and the African Union, to try to end the war in Sudan. However, the talks stalled after the Sudanese government boycotted them.

The Egyptian source explained that the Saudi meeting was not part of the Geneva talks. Instead, the current group of four countries is focused on finding peaceful solutions.

The source also said more meetings are expected to continue pushing for an end to the war and for humanitarian aid to reach those in need.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been in a civil war between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), causing thousands of civilian deaths and displacing over 10 million people, both within Sudan and to neighboring countries, according to the UN.

After the war broke out, Saudi Arabia and the US hosted talks in Jeddah, leading to the signing of an agreement.

The agreement aimed to protect civilians and prevent the use of private and public facilities for military purposes. The Sudanese government insists on fully implementing the Jeddah agreement before starting direct talks with the RSF.

Former Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister Mona Omar said uniting the efforts of key international players will help push for a ceasefire in Sudan. She noted that conflicting approaches from African, regional, and global powers have weakened attempts to end the war.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Omar stressed that coordination between Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the US would improve the effectiveness of humanitarian aid to those affected by the conflict, particularly in regions like Al-Fasher in Darfur and Gezira state, where conditions are critical.

She called for the focus of international efforts to be on “ceasefire, relief efforts, and creating a political roadmap to resolve the crisis.”