*EPF102 04/19/2004
Kimmitt Says Peaceful Resolution to Fallujah Impasse Being Sought
(Marines ready to resume military operations if talks fail) (760)

By Jacquelyn S. Porth
Washington File Security Affairs Writer

Washington -- A senior U.S. military commander says the coalition is trying to resolve the situation in the Iraqi city of Fallujah peacefully, but the Marines are ready to resume offensive military operations if political negotiations do not succeed.

Army Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, deputy director of operations for Combined Joint Task Force-7, told reporters in Baghdad April 19 that the most pressing issue is restoring order and stability in Fallujah.

Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) spokesman Dan Senor, who briefed with Kimmitt, said Fallujah has been a magnet for extremists, including foreign fighters, former regime intelligence personnel and Special Republican Guards. CPA representatives are looking to the people of Fallujah to pressure the extremists and criminal elements to leave the city.

Time is running out, Senor said: "There's only so much longer we can continue this process before we have to re-engage and re-initiate operations."

Senor also outlined the major points agreed to April 19 by an Iraqi Governing Council and CPA delegation and another delegation of local and civic leaders in Fallujah.

The release of the joint communiqué follows meetings by the delegations on April 13, 16, 17 and 19. It provides for unfettered access to the city's general hospital, expedited passage of official ambulances through military checkpoints, removal and burial of the dead, and provision of food and medicine to isolated parts of Fallujah.

The agreement also shortens the duration of the city's curfew so that religious requirements may be fulfilled, including visits to mosques in the evening.

In addition, it calls upon all citizens and groups to turn in illegal weapons immediately, including bomb-making equipment, mortars, sniper rifles, grenades, surface-to-air missiles, ammunition and machine guns.

The parties also agreed on the need to restore routine joint patrols of the city by coalition and Iraqi security forces. The two sides plan to oversee the re-formation of the Iraqi police force in Fallujah, as well as the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps.

"The parties agreed that coalition forces do not intend to resume offensive operations if all persons inside the city turn in their heavy weapons," Senor said, adding: "Individual violators will be dealt with on an individual basis."

Senor said consultations on security issues between the two delegations will continue and they will reconvene no later than April 25.

The two men were asked about the ramifications of the planned pullout of Spanish troops from Iraq and the possible withdrawal of Honduran forces. While not addressing what the Honduran military might do, Kimmitt said there should be enough time for an orderly transition between the outgoing Spanish forces and incoming replacements so that there will be no security lapse. He said he expects an orderly military withdrawal of Spanish forces.

Senor expressed CPA appreciation for statements of solidarity received from a number of countries that have suffered military setbacks in Iraq.

He also said every effort is being made to pursue hostage-takers in Iraq and gain the safe release of remaining hostages.

Asked about Shi'a cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's warning to the coalition not to move on the Iraqi holy city of Najaf, Kimmitt said, "We have never said that An Najaf is the target. Muqtada al-Sadr remains the target and we will maintain and retain all military options to capture him."

Asked about Syria's responsibility for border control, Kimmitt said, "we would ask Syria to help us out in keeping the flow of foreign fighters halted on both sides of the border."

Asked about comments CPA Administrator Paul Bremer made April 18 about the security situation before and after June 30, Senor said, "we believe there will still be a substantial terror threat here in Iraq . . . . We do not believe the Iraqi security forces will be in a position to handle that threat by themselves." While the Iraqi security forces have performed well in some areas, he said, "in other areas they have under-performed." For that reason, the Iraqis will still need coalition support, the spokesman said, and that is why coalition forces will maintain a presence in Iraq to help stabilize the country even after the turnover of political sovereignty on June 30.

Asked if the recent increase in violence in Iraq has had an impact on the schedule for Iraqi reconstruction projects, Kimmitt said, "It's going to take a couple of weeks for us to see how things play out."

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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