Militia Must Disarm For Peaceful Solution In Najaf: P.M.

BAGHDAD, Aug 15 (AFP) - Shiite militiamen must disarm unconditionally for there to be a peaceful solution to their stand-off against US-led Iraqi forces in the city of Najaf, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said Sunday.
"The government responds favourably to the demand from the national conference that the Najaf crisis be resolved peacefully," said a statement from Allawi, read out by Wael Abdel Latif, minister of state for provinces.
"But for us to achieve that, the militia must disarm with no preconditions, they must leave Najaf and the Imam Ali shrine, and enter the political process," he continued, speaking after a cabinet meeting.
He warned that time was running out for the Mehdi Army militia of radical cleric Moqtada Sadr.
"They have only a small window of opportunity left," he warned.
He said the government has information that those inside the shrine may carry out a massive attack against it.
He then showed a video of foreign fighters allegedly arrested in the central city of Hilla and southern cities of Diwaniyah and Kut during the wave of fighting over the past 10 days involving the Mehdi Army, as well as large stocks of ammunition.
An Iranian, Egyptian and Jordanian introduced themselves in the footage.
"The Mehdi Army has insisted and still insists to drag the country into grave danger despite the government's sincere efforts and intentions," charged Abdel Latif.
"We have reached the conclusion now that the Mehdi Army is not serious about finding a peaceful resolution."
Renewed violence after a two-day truce in Najaf sparked angry protests at the opening of the long-awaited national conference, hailed as Iraq's first experiment in democracy in decades.