Former Iraq PM Allawi defends tour of Arab states
AFP
BAGHDAD- Former Iraqi prime minister Iyad Allawi on Tuesday defended his two-week tour of Arab states and denied it was linked to next month's general election in which he leads a secular coalition.
"Some of those in power wanted to cause a stir over my trip to certain Arab countries and some deluded minds have linked it to the upcoming election," said Allawi, who heads the broad Al-Iraqiya secular alliance of candidates contesting the March 7 poll.
Former Iraqi prime minister Iyad Allawi
He also visited and held meetings with senior officials in Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar and Lebanon.
"Some people have tried to link my trip to the March election and in my view these deluded minds want to isolate Iraq from its Arab environment," Allawi said.
He was responding to criticism notably from Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's State of Law coalition, which has accused him of seeking funds and political support for his own coalition from the oil-rich Arab states of the Gulf.
"The region is increasingly beset with dangers from Al-Qaeda and we should discuss these with our Arab friends," said Allawi, who was appointed prime minister by Washington in June 2004 and held the post for just under a year.
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