Question: Was the death sentence of Tariq al-Hashimi discussed in talks that Acting Assistant Secretary Jones had last week in Iraq? If not, when was the last time the issue was raised?
Answer: The judicial process for this case has been ongoing since last December and during that period we have discussed developments in the Hashemi case with a number of Iraqi leaders on various occasions. While we are not going to get into the details of specific diplomatic exchanges during Acting Assistant Secretary Jones’ meetings in Iraq Sept 2-4, we can confirm that she urged Iraqi leaders to resolve their disputes consistent with the rule of law and in a manner that will strengthen Iraq’s long-term security, unity, and commitment to democracy.
