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Sadr gets 'final' warning
19/08/2004 17:17 - (SA)
Baghdad - Iraq's prime minister issued a "final call" for Shiite Muslim militiamen to disarm on Thursday, saying he was still prepared to accept a personal document from their leader Moqtada Sadr on a truce.
"We will categorically not allow armed militias. "This is the final call to them to disarm, vacate the holy shrine and engage in political work," Iyad Allawi told a news conference.
"We have heard that (Mr) Moqtada Sadr is prepared to comply with the request of the government and national conference.
"We welcome such an announcement and confirm our readiness to accept this initiative of his provided that he crystallises it into a tangible and committed position through a declaration from him personally," he added.
Reiterating conditions laid down earlier at a news conference in Najaf by minister of state Kassem Daoud, the premier called on Sadr to make his intentions clear in person, rather than through lieutenants and spokespersons.
"We have only heard from people who work with him, we haven't heard from him directly and we would like to hear from him his final position before we move to the next stage," Allawi said.
"The door is still open," he added, saying delegates from a national conference who Sadr refused to meet on a peace mission to Najaf, were prepared to return again.
"This delegation is ready to go back again if he clearly states he is willing... to meet those conditions. Personally. He has to do it personally," Allawi added.
If Sadr failed to lay down his arms and leave the shrine, "I can assure you there will be military action against him," Kassem said.
Defence minister Hazem al-Shaalan said his troops were ready for action should they be called out to crush the mehdi army.
"They are ready for action.. but we're waiting for the government to give Moqtada Sadr more time to think," he told the news conference.
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