Iraqi premier calls on Europe to help

Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi today delivered an impassioned personal plea to Europe’s leaders for more support to stabilise his country.

It came at the end of an EU summit in Brussels which saw pledges of fresh cash support – but which could not conceal continuing deep rifts over the war.

The re-election of President George Bush revived tensions within Europe between supporters and opponents of last year’s conflict.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair accused some EU leaders of being in “a state of denial” over the US election outcome, urging them to accept the new reality and forge closer Transatlantic links.

But French President Jacques Chirac pointedly stressed the need to reinforce European unity in what he said was an increasingly “multi-polar” world.

President Chirac did not stay long enough to hear Mr Allawi’s plea during an end-of-summit lunch.

The French leader was accused of a snub to Iraq – but insisted he was flying off to attend a memorial service in the United Arab Emirates.

But the other main European opponent of the Iraq war, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder, was there to hear Mr Allawi declare: “Today my government is trying to build a new Iraq and we need your help”.

Yesterday Mr Allawi sparked fresh French and German ire by describing them as mere “spectators” in the post-war reconstruction of Iraq.

French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier retorted this afternoon: “We don’t want to be spectators – we want to be an actors. Every European country has the same interest”.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the meeting had revealed a “change of mood” over Iraq, with member states burying their past differences.

And he pointed out that all 25 EU leaders, including President Chirac, had signed up to the summit communique reaffirming the pledge to create a “secure, unified, prosperous and democratic Iraq.”

The communique also included unanimous “warm congratulations” to President Bush over his return to office, and described Europe and the US as “natural and indispensable partners”.

Some officials said President Chirac quibbled over the word “warm” before the text was finalised – but Mr Blair did not hide his exasperation at continuing attempts to drive a wedge between Transatlantic allies.

“There are some people who have not wanted to come to changes that have happened” said Mr Blair.

“I’m not going to point fingers at people but we have got to move on. There is a new reality”.

Mr Straw welcomed Mr Allawi’s historic attendance at the summit as a sign of new European solidarity over Iraq.

He said the Iraqi interim leader had heard strong pledges from the Italian, Hungarian, Polish, Danish and UK prime Ministers of a continuing commitment to keeping troops in Iraq “for as long as the UN Security Council and the Iraqi government wish us to be there”.

Poland’s Prime Minister Marek Belka said it was “inconceivable” to withdraw now “and hand victory to the terrorists”.

And the Hungarian premier Ferenc Gyurcsany – reported earlier as signalling a pull-out by March – told Mr Allawi he was seeking an extra mandate for troops from his Parliament.

But European unity was called into question again when it emerged this afternoon that the leaders of France, Germany and Spain – all vehement opponents of the Iraq war – got together privately on the sidelines of the summit earlier today.

But Spanish Premier Jose-Luis Zapatero insisted the intent was merely to join force to help promote a “yes” vote in forthcoming constitution referendums.

Mr Straw said there was nothing unusual in the move, which he said did not signal new split in the EU ranks:

“At all times you get all types of meetings taking place in the Union and they are welcome, because the more co-ordination you get outside the room the more likely to get agreement in the room.

“I greatly welcome all work being done, the better to explain the European Constitution and the work of the EU.”

The two-day meeting paved the way for the end of current crisis over the new European Commission, with a reshuffled team of Commissioners – minus controversial Italian Rooco Buttigilione, now likely to be approved at a meeting of Euro-MPs later this month.