Friday, February 4 2005 18:26 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: With an elected Government due to take charge in Baghdad, Iraq today (Feb 4, 2005) sought India's help in the rebuilding process and utilising of new opportunities in construction, engineering, oil exploration, information technology and other areas.

"In the new Iraqi scenario, there are lots of opportunities for the Indian business community who can re-establish their old position," Iraq's new Charge d'Affaires Muayad S Hussein told a joint press conference in New Delhi alongwith U S Ambassador David Mulford.

The press interaction by the Iraqi envoy, the first since the holding of elections in the war-ravaged country, was packed with Indian and foreign print and electronic media.

Observing that Indians have long experience in working in that region, he said Iraq could benefit from their expertise in various fields.

"The new Iraq can grow as an important partner in various other fields with India," he said noting that both countries have "many common grounds - our age old cultural relations and the common history".

Asked whether Baghdad has made any formal request to India seeking its assistance, he said, "Iraq appreciates the positive stance of the Indian Government...I wish we receive more and more help from it".

On the presence of US-led multinational forces in Iraq, he said "in the present security scenario, these forces are required to be there for some more time".

"I am confident that even the opponents in Iraq are not demanding the immediate withdrawal of the foreign forces. They want a time table for the pullout of these forces, which cannot be decided at this time," he said.

India has described the holding of elections in Iraq as a "noteworthy development" and hoped this would set in motion a process that would lead the Iraqi people taking full control of their destiny.

It has stressed that restoration of full sovereignty to the Iraqi people was a necessary pre-condition for peace and stability in that country.

Keeping in view the strategic importance of the region, India has appointed veteran diplomat Chinmaya Gharekhan as its special envoy for West Asia and Middle East peace process.

Observing that so far Iraq has crossed only the "first step towards democracy", the Iraqi envoy said, "It has to go a long way. At this stage we, in Iraq, would like to learn and share experiences of the Indian democracy which is one of the best and most matured democracies in the world".

Seeking to allay apprehensions, he said "we are a secular country. We will never be a religious State".

He said now that the political parties in Iraq have started consultations to form the next elected Government all have agreed on the importance of this being a "fully inclusive process".

Mulford said holding of elections in Iraq was a "major setback" to the forces of terrorism.

Referring to President George W Bush's statement to the US Congress after Sunday's elections, he said the message was loud and clear from the heart of the Middle East to the world at large - one of freedom and democracy.

Terming the Iraqi elections as a "beginning step", the US Ambassador said "there is much left to be done. But let us not under-estimate or inappropriately value this first step. It is a gigantic step from one world into a new world".

After hearing for a long time, protests, doubts, scepticism about elections ever being held and that if held it could not be successful "we did see an election organised and carried out by the Iraqi people", he said.

India, Mulford said, was being kept posted on the developments in Iraq.

Asked whether the new Iraqi Government would ask the US to handover Saddam Hussein to carry out his trial, the Iraqi envoy said, "We think Saddam Hussein is the past. We don't like to even remember his name".