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Straw presses for broad, unified rule in Baghdad

Straw, who is on his third visit to Baghdad in less than three months, said abuses by security forces occurred even in democracies, but stressed that the alleged abusers in Iraq would be punished.

“You can’t eliminate some abuses by security forces even in democracy but what we need to ensure is see where it took place and the perpetuators are punished and that will happen here too,” he told a news conference after meeting Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.

Straw said the soldiers who allegedly committed these abuses were “very tiny” in numbers as compared to the nearly 100,000 British troops who have served in Iraq in the last three years.

“There is a thorough investigation underway and the military has a good record of being very tough in such investigations,” he said.

Three people have so far been arrested as part of a British military police investigation into the alleged abuse.

The latest video footage has led the city council of Amara — where the alleged abuse is believed to have occurred — to sever its ties with British troops, a move Straw described as “significant”.

“On behalf of the Iraqi central government, the British forces down in the south are seeking, bluntly, to clean up some politics and elements of the police service in the south and that’s not popular with all politicians,” he told BBC radio from Baghdad.

Straw’s defence of his troops received a boost from Talabani.

“We told Straw that it was necessary that British forces stay in Iraq till our security forces are ready,” Talabani said.

“We will thank the coalition forces after our forces are ready, especially British troops for the job they have done in creating a stable and secured region where they are,” the president added.

“We have had no problems with them.” About 8,000 British troops are in southern Iraq.

Straw reiterated that the troops will remain until the Iraqi government needs them, saying “we are proud of what they (troops) have done in liberating Iraq, especially the Shia community in the south.”

Meanwhile, he stepped up pressure on Iraqi leaders to form a broad, non-sectarian government.

“The final accredited results of December elections show that no party, ethnic or religious can dominate Iraq,” Straw said.

“This gives further impetus to what Iraqis say, that they want a national government that binds together different segments of the Iraqi society.”