Al-Hakim conditional cooperate with US; al-Talibani: Iran's support against Ansar al-Islam
Iraq-USA, Politics, 11/15/2002

The leader of the Kurdistani National Federation, Jalal al-Talibani, announced in Ankara yesterday that Iran vowed to support his party politically and militarily to fight "Ansar al- Islam" ( Islam partisans) suspected to be involved with Bin Laden group.

Meantime, Belgium notified officially the date of convening the Iraqi opposition conference in Brussels on November 22- 25, while the chairman of the of the Higher Council For the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, Baqer Hakim, renewed readiness to cooperate "under condition" with the Americans.

However, the remarkable development concerning the Iraqi opposition is reflected in taking the first practical step to revitalize dealing with the US dollar in northern Iraq, where the Kurdish government in al-Suleimaneyah, in coordination with its counterpart government in Irbil, issued two decisions permitting citizens the option of paying fees and government payments by US dollar or the Iraqi dinar, so as the dollar will be the second main currency that is dealt with.

This decision was laid in the context of an executive step to face the crisis of the increase in the Iraqi currency ( of the Swiss copy ) ahead of the US dollar in the exchange markets in the cities of Kurdistan area and alleviating the consequences inflicted over the unrest of the value of the local currency.

In Ankara, al-Talibani renewed his efforts to eliminate Turkish fears towards the possibility of the Kurdish separation in Northern Iraq, especially after the Kurds have recently discussed the Kurdish draft constitution..

Al-Talibani said "I do not think that it is ( the draft constitution ) the Koran. It is just a proposal, A proposal can be changed and amended. It is not that important thing." Al-Talibani indicated that Iran vowed to provide military support for his party in order to challenge "Ansar al-Islam" group, which is positioned in Kurdish villages on the borders with Iran. He explained "we have received good promises from Iran to help us against Ansar al- Islam." After his talks with the officials at the Turkish foreign ministry, al-Talibani said that Iran has vowed to support the Kurdistani national federation "by all means, politically and militarily." They (the Iranians) "provide every thing." He continued "They promised they are against this group and considered it as terrorist and constitutes a danger on their security and ours."

Meanwhile the chairman of the Higher Council Ff the Islamic Revolution in Iraq Baqer al-Hakim which takes Tehran as a headquarters said that he is ready to cooperate with the US under certain conditions.

The Christian Science Monitor daily quoted al-Hakim as saying"We agree with the Americans in the goal, but our way is different ..We don't want the innocent to be killed, and we want to preserve the integrity, independence, and infrastructure of Iraq.

A-Hakim told the Christian Science Monitor "If the American plan goes with these facts, we will cooperate with them..But if the matter is invasion of Iraq, or appointing an American ruler in Iraq, in this case we can't cooperate with them."

Previous Stories:
  Turkey denies Iraqi demands for Atropine   (11/14/2002)
  Washington's worries over Iraq's demands for Atropine   (11/14/2002)
  Los Angeles Times: CIA officials cooperate with the Kurds in northern Iraq   (11/13/2002)
  Iraq accuses Turkey of violating its airspace   (11/11/2002)
  Four Iraqis wounded in US- British planes; Baghdad amnesty covered releasing 560 Arabs   (11/8/2002)
  Ardoghan: we will not take part in attacking Iraq   (11/8/2002)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search