WASHINGTON, March 5 (NNN-KUNA)– The United States has voiced concerns over attempts by the insurgents to disrupt the upcoming Iraqi elections and hoped for the emergence of an inclusive government that represents all the Iraqi people.

“We obviously are concerned about any attempts by insurgents to try to disrupt this democratic process. And at the end of this, the best way to fight the insurgency is to have as many Iraqis as possible vote in the process on Sunday so that we can see the emergence of inclusive government that represents the interest of all Iraqi people,” said Assistant Secretary for Public Diplomacy Philip J. Crowley in a press briefing Thursday.

Early voting started in Iraq ahead of the parliamentary elections on Sunday as deadly blasts continue to shatter the country.

Crowley noted that indications from the US embassy in Baghdad is that “the voters are enthusiastic.”

Asked to comment on reports that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki could ask the US to stay in Iraq beyond the withdrawal deadline, Crowley replied that “there is a status of forces agreement. There is a strategic framework agreement that charts the future relationship between the United States and Iraq. We are moving in accordance with that agreement.”

“Once there is a new government in place, if that government wants to have discussions with us about going beyond the status of forces agreement, we are fundamentally shifting to a different kind of relationship between the United States and Iraq, one that is based on the kind of relationship that we have with other countries in the region and around the world,” he added.

Crowley noted that US partnership with Iraq “will transform as its goes along from having one that is primarily based on military might to one that is more based on the kind of political, economic and security relationship that we have with other countries in the region.”

– NNN-KUNA

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