Friday, January 05, 2007
Meetings to build a new political alliance
Politics
Days after the execution of Saddam Hussain, there has been a flurry of meetings between President Jalal Al Talabani, Vice-President Tariq Al Hashimi, Adnan Al Dulaimi, the Sunni Accord Front leader and Abdul Aziz Al Hakim, the Shiite coalition leader. These meetings aim to build a new political alliance to better manage the political and security process.
Fouad Massoum, a prominent Kurdish leader told Gulf News, "The trend now is to establish a political alliance between the Kurds, the Sunni Islamic Party and the Shiite Sup-reme Council for Islamic Revolution." He added, "Certain security and political conditions require redrawing of the alliance map to enable new alliance to play a greater role in improving security and stability." Massoum said, "The new alliance must reunify moderate Sunnis and Shiites and exclude extremists from both sides." Sources in Baghdad say that recent meetings between US President George W. Bush, Sunni leader Tariq Al Hashimi and Shiite leader Al Hakim in Washington have played a significant role in establishing this new political alliance.
But Mahmoud Othman, a Kurdish leader close to Al Talabani, alluded to Shiite-Sunni differences concerning this new alliance, including the Sunnis' insistence on excluding Shiite leader Moqtada Al Sadr as opposed to Shiite leader Al Hakim who wants to include some moderates from the Al Sadr faction. Sa'ad Jawad Qandil, a prominent figure in the Shiite coalition told Gulf News that the coalition is ready to make concessions to the Sunnis to bolster moves to establish a political alliance based on national interests and give the Sunnis a greater role in managing the security process.
A spokesman for the Al Sadr faction, Riyadh Al Nouri told Gulf News, "If that alliance crystallises, it will not marginalise the influence of the faction inside the parliament and the government." He continued, "Some do think that the goal of this new alliance is to exclude the Al Sadr faction and I can assure you that no political force can achieve this goal."
Fouad Massoum, a prominent Kurdish leader told Gulf News, "The trend now is to establish a political alliance between the Kurds, the Sunni Islamic Party and the Shiite Sup-reme Council for Islamic Revolution." He added, "Certain security and political conditions require redrawing of the alliance map to enable new alliance to play a greater role in improving security and stability." Massoum said, "The new alliance must reunify moderate Sunnis and Shiites and exclude extremists from both sides." Sources in Baghdad say that recent meetings between US President George W. Bush, Sunni leader Tariq Al Hashimi and Shiite leader Al Hakim in Washington have played a significant role in establishing this new political alliance.
But Mahmoud Othman, a Kurdish leader close to Al Talabani, alluded to Shiite-Sunni differences concerning this new alliance, including the Sunnis' insistence on excluding Shiite leader Moqtada Al Sadr as opposed to Shiite leader Al Hakim who wants to include some moderates from the Al Sadr faction. Sa'ad Jawad Qandil, a prominent figure in the Shiite coalition told Gulf News that the coalition is ready to make concessions to the Sunnis to bolster moves to establish a political alliance based on national interests and give the Sunnis a greater role in managing the security process.
A spokesman for the Al Sadr faction, Riyadh Al Nouri told Gulf News, "If that alliance crystallises, it will not marginalise the influence of the faction inside the parliament and the government." He continued, "Some do think that the goal of this new alliance is to exclude the Al Sadr faction and I can assure you that no political force can achieve this goal."
Some observers believe that this new alliance is likely to be announced next March when Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki announces some important changes to his cabinet. It is believed that Al Maliki will select ministers from the parties that would make up the new alliance including the ministers of interior, defence and national security. Meanwhile Adnan Al-Dulaimi, the Sunni Accord Front leader, told Gulf News, "The Front will urge Al Maliki to select a new defence minister from the front as a guarantee that the Sunnis will play a greater role in security."
