Press writes off Iraq conference

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/6623627.stm

Version 0 of 1.

More than $30bn (£15bn) in aid and debt relief was pledged to Iraq

The Middle East press dismisses the Iraq conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, blaming the Bush administration for creating the situation in that country in the first place. </P>

One paper says the meeting is just a face-saving measure designed to divert attention from Washington's difficulties both in Iraq and at home. </P>

Other papers express pessimism, ranking this conference as one of many that achieve nothing. </P>

EDITORIAL IN PAN-ARAB AL-ARAB AL-ALAMIYAH </P>

The Sharm el-Sheikh conference is being held not to salvage Iraq but to save the US administration from its numerous predicaments - security predicaments in Iraq... and political predicaments within America itself. </P>

MUHAMMAD BARAKAT IN EGYPT'S AL-AKHBAR </P>

If we want a clear and frank explanation of this Sharm el-Sheikh meeting and its aims, we would say without hesitation that the situation in Iraq has reached a dead end and that there is an almost total US failure in its objectives and achievements.</P>

MAHIR UTHMAN IN PAN-ARAB AL-HAYAT </P>

Even if we consider the good intentions of the Sharm el-Sheikh conference and the need to preserve Iraq's unity and security, the situation on the ground in Iraq is the way it is because of the decision by the US neo-conservatives to wage war against it. </P>

EDITORIAL IN EGYPT'S AL-JUMHURIYAH </P>

The Iraqi crisis... lies in the fact that neither the US administration nor the Iraqi government is capable, on their own, of maintaining security... There is therefore an important need for a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign forces. </P>

EDITORIAL IN QATAR'S AL-SHARQ </P>

The Sharm el-Sheikh conference managed yesterday to launch the International Compact with Iraq... There is no doubt that making pledges is much easier than implementing them.</P>

WALID AL-ZUBAYDI IN MOROCCO'S AL-TAJDID </P>

If we count the number of conferences held on Iraq, we will find many. If we look for one positive result, we will not find any... What then does the Sharm el-Sheikh conference add when those who organised it, called for it and participated in it could not clearly state its final objective?</P>

EDITORIAL IN OMAN DAILY </P>

The Sharm el-Sheikh conference... reveals in many ways that its objective is not just the issue of Iraq but particularly US relations with countries like Iran and Syria. </P>

GHASSAN AL-MUFLIH IN KUWAIT'S AL-SIYASSAH </P>

Every one or two years, we witness a conference to stop violence in this or that country, starting with Palestine, Lebanon and Somalia and now Iraq. As if anything ever changes... </P>

<I><A href="http://www.monitor.bbc.co.uk">BBC Monitoring</A> selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaux abroad.</I></P>