Iraq disapproves Blackwater contract renewal

_AlsumariaIraqiTelevision (2008-04-08) _

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Iraq disapproves Blackwater contract renewal

Tuesday, April 08, 2008 09:09 GMT

US State Department has attributed the decision of renewing Blackwater private security firm in Baghdad for one more year to the necessity of protecting its employees. While the US State Department has not sought prior approval from Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki to renew the contract, US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack affirmed that Washington is aware of Iraqi government concerns noting however that the decision is related to the protection of their employees. McCormack stressed that this decision is theirs to make.

Earlier, Al Maliki declared that Washington has renewed the contract of Blackwater security firm in order to protect its diplomats in Iraq without the approval of Baghdad. Al Maliki asserted that the Iraqi government is still considering Blackwater incidents mainly that certain employees of the firm have committed massacres against Iraqis; yet, they have not been tried while no compensations were paid.