'Five year anniversary'                             [The Times, U.K.]

 

 

Al-Iraq News, Iraq

Deadlock in Baghdad as

Iraqi Opposition Refuses to

Concede to Government

 

"Effective control over the nation's security services and plans by a single sect must end … having one sect monopolize the area of security has created great harm."

 

Adnan al-Dulaimi of the Iraqi Accord Front [Sunni].

 

“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.”

 

Izzat Al-Shabandar of the Iraqi Accord [secular]

 

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 In order to rebuild a basis for progress, we are negotiating with blocs that have withdrawn their support."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Iraqi National Accord [secular bloc lead by former interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi ] and the al-Sadr faction , have withdrawn from the Maliki Government.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 to 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."

 

On the fate of the ongoing negotiations between the Accord and the government, Al-Duleimi said that “the negotiations have stalled because of the government's failure to respond to demands for greater harmony, but we hope things begin to move in the next few days.”

 

Izzat Al-Shabandar , a member of the Iraqi Accord, said there have been several meetings between former Prime Minister Iyad Ailawi [leader of the Iraqi Accord] and several other leaders including the President of the Republic [Jalal Talibani], several MPs and the President of Parliament. The talks have been limited to grappling with the reality of the political process and the nation's political future.

Posted by WORLDMEETS.US

 

On Iraq's chronic political problems and the withdrawal of several blocs from the government, Al-Shabandar told Ashsharq Al-Awsat that, “the political problem in the country isn't the withdrawal of a number of ministers from the government or whether they will return. The problem is that the political crisis is a crisis of governance.” Furthermore he said, “It's important to reformulate the political agenda and return to the essential issues which include national reconciliation, the eradication of the Baath Party, the law for dealing with the governorates [demarcating national and provincial power], as well as the security situation.”

 

As far as the readiness of the Iraqi Accord to make concessions in order to reform the political situation, he said: “There will be no concessions on our existing demands, in particular because these are the demands of all Iraqis; the Accord has a national vision for solving the nation's problems, which includes 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.”   

Posted by WORLDMEETS.US

 

As to the question of whether any solutions are at hand, Al-Shabandar said, "there must now be a conversation between the political factions and the ruling bloc about creating a partnership for producing what could be defined as a road map for building a political process. Then a dialogue must be held with the Prime Minister.” But Al-Shabandar warned that “without such a plan for the way ahead, the country will enter a real crisis and could return to square one in all areas.”

 

CLICK HERE FOR ARABIC VERSION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Posted by WORLDMEETS.US March 15, 12:01am]