Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi attending the International conference

Additional Reporting by Karim Mahmoud, IOL Correspondent

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, November 23 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - The international conference on Iraq closed Tuesday, November 23, after adopting a declaration in support of the country’s January election, but fell short of setting a timetable for the withdrawal of the US-led occupation troops.

The two-day conference concluded amid calls of putting off the January vote by the Iraqi opposition, whose delegation returned to Cairo from this Red Sea resort city following protests by the interim government’s representatives.

The final statement, whose wording had been worked out in preceding Cairo meetings marked by much wrangling between the United States and France, says, however, the deployment of US-led troops in Iraq “is not open-ended”, reported Agence France-Presse ( AFP ).

The communique stressed a United Nations role in preparing the elections, condemned “terrorism”, kidnapping and the murder of civilians, and urged cooperation or at least “non-interference” from neighboring countries.

Iraq and its neighbors Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey signed off on the document in a closed-door meeting Monday, and the text was approved by the United Nations and Security Council’s five permanent states at the close of the two-day international conference in this Red Sea Egyptian resort city.

The conference opened Monday, November 22, with a consultative meeting clouded by criticism of “legitimizing” the US-led occupation.

Reconciliation Conference

Moussa called for holding a national reconciliation conference before the country's planned January elections

Arab League chief Amr Moussa called for a ceasefire in Iraq and the holding of a national reconciliation conference before the country's planned January elections, a call endorsed by Egypt ’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit.

In his a speech to delegates at the conference’s closed-door session, a copy of which was obtained by AFP , the secretary general called for a “ceasefire in Fallujah and the other hotspots” around the country.

With the US-backed interim government in Iraq having pledged to retake control of Sunni cities before elections on January 30, the US military on November 8 mounted an offensive on the city of Fallujah , west of Baghdad .

Some 1,200 Iraqis were killed in the assault, according to US estimates.

Moussa called for “an Iraqi conference which gathers all the parties in the countries before the elections, to give more support (to the polls) and contribute to their success”.

Supporting Election

“There will be no postponement of the elections which will take place in January at the date set. Whatever the situation,” Zebari

UN chief Kofi Annan, who in September termed the invasion of Iraq “illegal”, said the Iraqi elections scheduled for January 30 were a “critical part of Iraq 's transition” and it was “critically important that they take place in a conducive environment.”

He also urged the whole international community to unite “to ensure that a sovereign, secure and self-confident Iraq takes its place in the region, and indeed becomes a beacon to other nations.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi told the conference Iran wanted to see “free and democratic elections within the envisaged time-frame” and would view any delay as “detrimental to the stability and future well-being of Iraq .”

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said that elections will be held on time in his country as announced on January 30 “whatever the situation”.

“There will be no postponement of the elections which will take place in January at the date set. Whatever the situation,” Zebari told AFP .

But Jordan 's Foreign Minister Hani Mulki said circumstances could force a delay.

“The neighbors of Iraq will meet early January in Amman to review the situation and the results of the meeting of the interior ministers in Iran ,” he said, referring to a November 30 session to be hosted by Tehran .

“If the process is not ready by the 30th of January, there will be no other alterative but to postpone them (the polls) a few weeks or a month,” he said.

A delegation representing the Iraqi opposition circulated a statement before the conference, calling for putting off the January election until circumstances allowed.

“At a time when we look forward for a democratic Iraq , we do agree that election is the only way to bring in democracy provided that it is transparent and fair, and held under in a stable and secure country. But since the country is marred by insecurity and instability, we call for delaying the January vote,” read the statement, a copy of which was obtained by IslamOnline.net.

The delegation included Muzhar Al-Duleimi, the head of the NGO League of Defending Iraqis’ Rights, and Qassim Abdel Sattar, member of Fallujah’s Shura (consultative) council.   

So far, 47 Sunni, Shiite, Turkoman and Christian bodies and movements have declared their boycott of the upcoming election.

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, a conference participant, said Monday a Sunni boycott would upset political balances and create even more trouble in the war-torn country.