ahead for the offensive, part of a campaign to curb the insurgency ahead of national elections planned for January. Allawi has demanded that Fallujah hand over foreign extremists, including Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his followers, and allow government troops to enter the city. "We intend to liberate the people and to bring the rule of law to Fallujah," Allawi said in Brussels after meeting with European Union leaders. "The window really is closing for a peaceful settlement." Allawi urged Europeans leaders to forge a "close and strategic partnership" with Iraq and called on NATO to step up plans to train 1,000 officers a year for the Iraqi military. EU leaders responded with a nearly $40 million offer to fund elections, including training for Iraqi vote monitors. French President Jacques Chirac - who opposed the Iraq war - skipped a meeting with Allawi to fly to Abu Dhabi to pay his respects to the new president of the United Arab Emirates, who took over after the death of his father. Many saw it as a snub of Allawi, although Chirac denied that, describing his relations with the new Iraqi authorities as "excellent."
