Biden did not come to Iraq to discuss debaathification – amb.

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: U.S. Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to Iraq, concluded on Saturday, did not aim to discuss the issue of debaathification, according to U.S. ambassador in Baghdad Christopher Hill on Sunday. “The visit was planned in November 2009 but Biden’s busy schedule brought it to be paid now; and so it had nothing to do with the issue of the debaathification that is raised at present,” Hill said during a press conference he held at the U.S. embassy headquarters in Baghdad. Biden had arrived in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Friday (Jan. 22) to meet Iraqi officials and discuss recent developments in the war-torn country as well as preparations for the forthcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled to be held next March. Some observers had said that the visit was paid in an attempt on the part of the United States to interfere in the issue of the exclusion of 511 candidates from the elections for their affiliation to the dissolved Baath party. Asked by IraqiNews.com on the possibility of bringing the country out of Chapter VII of the UN Charter and why it was late, Hill replied that the United States would prove its commitment to bring Iraq out of Chapter VII. “That was why U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Geoffrey Feldman, who was with the visiting delegation, remained in Iraq so as to have discussions and consultations with the Iraqi foreign ministry officials and to probe ways to accelerate brining Iraqi out of Chapter VII,” said Hill. AmR (S)/SR 2