BBC Monitoring

This summary highlights select Iraqi TV reporting on Iraq Neighbours Conference held in Istanbul. It covers reports carried on the following TV stations on 4 November:

- Baghdad Al-Iraqiyah Television in Arabic - government-sponsored television station, run by the Iraqi Media Network

- Dubai Al-Sharqiyah Television in Arabic - Independent, private news and entertainment channel focusing on Iraq, run by Sa'd al-Bazzaz, publisher of the Arabic-language daily Al-Zaman

- Baghdad Al-Furat Television Channel in Arabic - Television channel affiliated with the Shi'i group, the Iraqi Islamic Supreme Council, led by Abd-al-Aziz al-Hakim

- Cairo Al-Rafidayn Satellite Channel in Arabic - Pro-Sunni, anti-US Iraqi channel believed to be affiliated with the Association of Muslim Scholars

Al-Sharqiyah:

Within its 0600 gmt newscast, Al-Sharqiyah carries a factual report on Iraq Neighbours Conference in Istanbul saying: "The final statement of the international ministerial meeting on Iraq Saturday called for preventing Iraqi territory from being used as a base for terrorism against neighbouring countries. The Istanbul statement on Iraq is the first change of its kind in the nature of statements on Iraqi issues since 2003. Previous statements called on Iraq's neighbouring countries to prevent the infiltration of terrorists into Iraq. This time, however, the statement called on Iraq itself to control its borders and prevent terrorists from using Iraq as a base for attacks on neighbouring countries. The statement issued at the end of the meetings, which were noticeably dominated by discussions related to the crisis between the Kurdistan Workers Party [PKK] and Iraq and turkey, said that the conference condemns all forms of terrorist acts, calls for stop! ping all logistic, financial, and all other forms of support for terrorists and terrorist organizations, and rejects any language that encourages violence or terrorism."

Within the same newscast, Al-Sharqiyah reports: "Mahmud al-Azzawi, head of the independent Arab bloc in the Iraqi Council of Representatives, said that the Iraqi government should show commitment to the decisions of the Istanbul conference because Iraq and Turkey have historic relations and that insurgents in northern Iraq should not bee allowed to harm the relations between the two neighbouring countries. Speaking to Al-Sharqiyah over phone, Al-Azzawi called on the Iraqi Government to immediately work towards ending the presence of PKK insurgents in northern Iraq and not to accept the exporting of terrorism from Iraqi territory."

Al-Iraqiyah:

Within its 0700 gmt newscast, Al-Iraqiyah reports: " Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said that the Iraqi Government took practical steps to close the PKK offices and cut off all forms of support for it, which come as part of the government's effort to end the border crisis with Turkey. This was mentioned in his address to Iraq Neighbours Conference, which ended in Istanbul yesterday. During the conference, which was attended by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the prime minister said that Iraq managed to overcome challenges and that it is now in the stage of building and reconstruction. Al-Maliki called on neighbouring countries to fulfil their commitments towards Iraq to help it achieve its political, economic, and financial goals."

Within the same newscast, Al-Iraqiyah reports: "The final statement of the expanded Iraq Neighbours Conference, which ended yesterday in Istanbul, called for preventing Iraqi territory from being used a! s a base for terrorism against neighbouring countries. The statement issued at the conclusion of the meetings of foreign ministers and representatives of major powers said that the conference denounces all forms of terrorist acts in Iraq, calls for stopping them immediately, and supports the Iraqi Government's counterterrorism efforts, including its efforts to prevent Iraqi territory from being used as a base for terrorism against neighbouring countries."

Within its 1700 gmt newscast, the channel runs a recorded interview with Sadiq al-Rikabi, political adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. Al-Rkabi says: "The prime minister held several meetings with Turkey's prime minister and president. He also met with US secretary of state and UN secretary general. These meetings did not go around the conference only, but addressed Iraq's bilateral relations with these countries as well. The most important point to note is that the conference did not focus on the PKK-re! lated crisis."

Within the same cast, the channel carries live te lephone interviews Deputy Muhsin Sa'dun. He says: "There are two points that make this conference important. First, this meeting is primarily concerned with preserving security and extending every possible support to the Iraqi Government and the new Iraq. The other point is that this conference was held in Istanbul, Turkey, at a time when Turkey is building up its troops at borders with Iraq amidst the Iraqi-Turkish crisis. This is why we can say that this conference was important."

Sa'dun adds: "Now that the security situation in Iraq is improving, Iraq's obligations towards the international community should be implemented. The international community, on the other hand, is expected to meet its commitments as regards Iraq. Iraq is currently undergoing a new phase of openness. The others, especially regional and neighbouring countries, should respect the Iraqis' well."

The channel also interviews Ali Mahdi, a political analyst. Mahdi says: "The participation of ! Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki - who has a heavy political weight as he is both the head of the government and the supreme commander of the Armed Forces - and the foreign minister played a major role in reducing the tension, which all sides are watching with deep concern. This conference played a key role in releasing tension in the region."

Within the same cast, the channel cites Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki as addressing reporters on the Istanbul Conference: "The conference was mainly held to view Iraqi affairs. The Iraqi-Turkish crisis caused by the PKK activities took a minor part of discussions and did not dominate the meeting as was expected by observers. This issue was not the core of the conference's agenda. The main agenda was on Iraq in terms of supporting it, promoting supportive committees in charge of economic, security, and refugee-related files. These issues were the centre of the talks. Therefore, the conference's final statement was just as we w! anted it to be."

Al-Furat:

Within its 0700 gmt newscast, Al-Furat reports: "With the attendance of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, the conference of foreign ministers of Iraq's neighbours concluded in Istanbul yesterday. Addressing the participants in the conference, Al-Maliki asserted that Iraq overcame danger because of the unity and harmony of its people. He pointed out that there has been noticeable development in the political, security, and economic situation in Iraq."

The report adds: "The final statement of the expanded Istanbul conference called for preventing Iraqi territory from being used as a base for launching terrorist operations against neighbouring countries. The statement issued at the conclusion of the conference of foreign ministers of Iraq's neighbours, the permanent members of the Security Council, the U nited Nations, and the European Union condemned all forms of terrorism and called for putting an end for them immediately, expressing support! for the Iraqi Government's counterterrorism efforts. The conference called for preventing the infiltration of terrorists and weapons into and out of Iraq and all forms of smuggling operations. It expressed rejection of any language that encourages violence or terrorism."

This is followed by a factual report on Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's statement before the conference.

The channel's subsequent newscasts are observed to limit their coverage of the conference to factual reports.

Al-Rafidayn:

Within its 0700 newscast, Al-Rafidayn reports: "The final statement of the expanded international ministerial conference on Iraq in Istanbul called for preventing Iraqi territory from being used as a base for what it termed terrorism against neighbouring countries. It asserted the need to enhance cooperation between Iraq and neighbouring countries."

The report adds: "Addressing the conference, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki pledged to take urgent steps against PKK insurgents, among which is the closure of their offices."

Within its 1400 gmt newscast, the channel cites Deputy Mahmud Uthman of the Kurdistan Alliance as saying: "Istanbul Conference did not yield the expected results. Turkey was the biggest winner in this conference. All the conferees expressed support for its views."

The channel also cites Deputy Salim Abdalah of Al-Tawafuq Front as saying: "The conference's resolutions need genuine re-shaping as they were ! more like phrases of compliments than real solutions to the issue of the PKK."

The channel quotes Deputy Izzat al-Shahbandar of the Iraqi List as saying: "The conference is nothing more than a meeting that convened and finished. It has no real value as it failed to work out any clear framework for any agreement among the participant countries."

The channel's subsequent newscasts are observed to limit their coverage of the conference to factual reports.

Sources: As listed