Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi called Thursday on countries that had opposed the war against the country's former dictator, Saddam Hussein, to help rebuild Iraq. "We know there were European nations that did not agree with the war and that opposed sending troops (to Iraq). But we must now look to the future," Allawi said. "I invite those countries to establish economic and political relations with Iraq and help us return it to the international community," he added. Allawi made the comments after meeting his Italian counterpart, Silvio Berlusconi, and before travelling to Brussels to attend a European Union summit on Friday. The summit will be attended by all E.U. leaders, including those of France and Germany, the two nations that had spearheaded international opposition to the United States-led war. A meeting with French President Jacques Chirac would not take place, however, as the French leader planned to attend the memorial service for United Arab Emirates president Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nayhan. "We do not want to look back on who was for us and who was against us," Allawi said Thursday, "We want to have positive relations with all countries.". --More 0022 Local Time 2122 GMT
