Ashton calls on Iraq to address root causes of violence

The Cooperation Council between the European Union (EU) and Iraq held its first meeting in Brussels on Monday and reaffirmed the commitment of both parties to continue strengthening their relations.The meeting was opened by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Catherine Ashton and the Iraqi delegation was led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Hoshyar Zebari.The meeting took stock of progress in implementation of the EU-Iraq Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), currently under provisional application, and discussed possible areas for future cooperation, noted an EU statement. On the margins of the meeting, Ashton and Zebari held an exchange of views on a wide range of domestic and regional political issues."The EU is doing all it can to support Prime Minister Al Maliki and his Government in their efforts to confront terrorism and address security challenges, particularly in the west of Iraq," said Ashton."I am very concerned about the humanitarian situation in areas affected by the recent fighting and it's vital that everything possible is done to protect the civilian population from further violence," she said.Ashton mentioned the EU's concern at the execution of 40 persons in Iraq on Sunday, and reiterated the EU's firm position against capital punishment."Regional instability and the conflict in Syria are contributing to tensions inside Iraq, making it even more urgent to address the root causes of violence through an inclusive political process," she said. "April's general elections will be a crucial test for Iraq's democracy, and I hope that the country's political leaders will seize this opportunity to promote dialogue and compromise," added Ashton.