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As General David Petraeus prepares to testify before Congress about the surge, the question will arise, “How much progress has there been toward Iraqi national conciliation since the surge began.” In order to help answer that question, WORLDMEETS.US has translated this news account from the Al-Iraq News about the status of talks between the Shiite-led government and opposition parties. Adnan al-Dulaimi of the Iraqi Accord Front – the largest Sunni coalition – calls for, ‘The participation of all Sunni sons and not just those of The Accord Front – including supervision in the area of security. Effective control over the nation’s security services by a single sect must end. This would solve many of the country’s existing problems, because having one sect monopolize the area of security has created great harm.’
Izzat Al-Shabandar of the secular Iraqi Accord is quoted as saying, ‘There will be no concessions on our existing demands, in particular because these are the demands of all Iraqis … which include abolishing all sectarian-based quotas and establishing a national project based on performance, good citizenship and integrity – none of which can be waived or conceded.’
Translated By James Jacobson and Nicolas Dagher
March 3, 2008
Iraq – Al-Iraq News – Original Article (Arabic)
Not a single Iraqi opposition party is willing to offer the government concessions on their demands about how to address the tense political situation. Some of these parties attribute their hard line to the government’s failure to pay proper attention to their proposals.
Fadel Al-Sharaa, an advisor to Prime Minister al-Maliki, said “the government is serious about finding solutions that will contribute to improving the political process. In order to rebuild a basis for progress, we are negotiating with blocs that have withdrawn their support.” A number of blocks, including the Iraqi Accord Front [the largest Sunni bloc ], Iraqi National Accord [secular bloc lead by former interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi ] and the al-Sadr faction , have withdrawn from the Maliki Government.
Al-Sharaa said, “the government is continuing its dialogue with these political blocs,” adding that the demands and proposals of these blocs would be closely examined, but emphasizing, “these groups must show their seriousness about reforming the political situation.” He added, “the status quo won’t do, in particular because the political situation doesn’t only pertain to political factions, but to the Iraq people, who expect the political blocs to confront the challenge of finding a way out of the impasse and put forward serious proposals that are commensurate with the heavy responsibility they bear for achieving a successful political process in this country.”
For his part, Adnan al-Dulaimi of the Iraqi Accord Front [Sunni], said that the Front was prepared to return to the Government when it is willing to back down from its hard-line demands and agree to compromise. “The demands of the Accord Front are clear and they are popular demands.”
The Front has called for a greater role in government decision-making and the release of detainees [Sunnis]. On the government’s position regarding these demands, Al-Duleimi said: “Unless the government responds positively, we cannot return to the Government.”
On the adoption of the General Amnesty Law [for former Baathists] which was passed by Parliament and was one of the demands of the Accord Front, Al-Duleimi said, “The General Amnesty Law is an important law, but we expect seriousness on the part of the Government in implementing it and speeding up its execution. This is what we hope the government will do.”
He added, “There are other conditions that the Accord has put forward, such as demands for real participation in making decisions and administering the country, as well as finding a balance between the parties in regard to how to create a successful political process. This would require the participation of all Sunni sons and not just those of The Accord Front – including supervision in the area of security. Effective control over the nation’s security services and plans by a single sect must end. This would solve many of the country’s existing problems, because having one sect monopolize the area of security has created great harm.”
READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, along with continuing coverage of how Iraqis themselves view the Iraq War.
