Iraq reconciliation conference should be held on time - Moussa (Xinhua) Updated: 2005-12-26 10:14
Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Amr Moussa on Sunday expressed hope that a
conference on Iraqi national reconciliation might be held early next year as
planned despite relentless violence in the conflict-ridden country.
It is possible to hold the Iraqi National Accord Conference in Baghdad by the
end of next February, as agreed by various Iraqi political and religious groups
which met last month in Cairo under the auspices of the AL, Moussa told
reporters.
"There is still enough time for consultations and eliminating obstacles," he
said.
The pan-Arab organization has dispatched an envoy to Iraq to follow up the
situation there and help implement the final communique of the Cairo preparatory
meeting for the Iraqi National Accord Conference held on November 19-21.
Despite differences over several thorny issues, including drawing up a
timetable for the withdrawal of foreign troops, some 100 representatives of
various Iraqi religious and political groups did agree at the meeting to hold
the conference in early 2006.
More than two years since the US-led war on Iraq which ousted former Iraqi
President Saddam Hussein, the oil-rich Arab country has witnessed relentless
sectarian violence.
Disaffected Sunni Iraqis, a minority group which once dominated the country
under Saddam's rule, are believed to be behind an insurgent campaign against the
US-backed Iraqi government dominated by Shiites and Kurds.
Large numbers of Sunni Iraqis voted in the December 15 legislative election,
a move welcomed by the Iraqi government and the United States which hope Sunni
participation in the political process might lead to a decrease in violence.
But sectarian tensions have mounted in recent days over disputed election
results.
On Friday, thousands of Sunni Arabs took to the street in Baghdad to protest
against the partial results, which showed that a Shiite coalition won most of
votes in Baghdad.
One day earlier, a total of 33 Iraqi political parties decided to form a new
bloc in protest of the announced results and threatened to boycott the new
parliament if their complaints are not dealt with.
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