Jaafari criticizes Arab League position on Iraq
Iraq-Regional, Politics, 8/31/2005

The Iraqi prime minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari on Tuesday criticized the Arab League (AL) over its position for not paying attention to the Iraqi people and for not dispatching an ambassador or a minister or any official to Baghdad.

In a statement, al-Jaafari called on the Arab league to reconsider its policy towards Iraq.

Replying this criticism, the AL secretary general Amr Moussa said that the Iraqi prime minister has "the right" in what he is saying but he stressed that there are conditions reflected in the existence of "occupation" and security conditions that prevented an Arab role in Iraq to be played clearly.

Last Thursday, Moussa called on the Iraqi government for an urgent explanation to what was stated in the new Iraqi draft constitution about the statement in the Iraqi draft constitution that "the Arab people in Iraq (editor note: not 'all' Iraqis) are part of the Arab nation," considering such statements "as very dangerous."

Although Iraq throughout its history been at the heart of the Arab states in politics and culture, and that some Kurds may consider themselves Iraqis first, it is not clear to what extent such remarks are aimed at the Kurds, who are the largest ethnic minority in Iraq. The ethnic population of Iraq is Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%. It is not clear if the concern by the Arab League about such constitutional article, stems from fear of some Kurd who may seek to divide Iraq and seek an independent country, an aim some Kurds are said to harbor.

Previous Stories:
  BBC: Moussa: Iraq's constitution recipe for chaos   (8/30/2005)
  Amr Mousa stresses Iraq's Arabism   (8/29/2005)
  Iraq wants diplomatic relations with the Arab states   (8/24/2005)

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