ARAB LEAGUE

AP reports that the Arab League has recognized Iraq’s Governing Council and that Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, a Kurd, was seated at the League meeting yesterday.

Iraq’s seat on the league had been empty since U.S. and British forces toppled Saddam in April. When the occupiers appointed the interim Iraqi Governing Council in July, the league refused to recognize it, saying it would wait until Iraq had a government elected by its people.

The other members of the 22-member league decided to accept Zebari earlier Tuesday after a late night, six-hour debate.

League Undersecretary-General Ahmed bin Helli read out the resolution that granted provisional recognition to the Iraqi Governing Council, which appointed Zebari as foreign minister just last week.

The Iraqi foreign minister will be welcome for one year, after which the league will review Iraq’s representation and its progress toward forming a government, bin Helli said. He also called on the interim Iraqi leadership to advise the league of its plans for drafting a constitution and forming a permanent government.

Interesting.

(Hat tip: Steven Taylor)

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.