Moussa urges Iraqi Kurds to attend the reconciliation conference

Arab League (AL) Secretary General Amr Moussa Sunday said Iraq's Kurds are an important part not only of Iraq but also of the Arab states and the Middle East.

Addressing the Kurdish parliament yesterday, Moussa noted that an era in Iraq's history has come to an end and that a new period is now beginning.

Moussa said that in order for Iraq to start a new era it should first achieve an all-out national reconciliation. Moussa asserted that he was on a mission to Iraq on behalf of the AL to address all Iraqis, including Kurds.

The parliamentary session was attended by Kurdish MP's and leaders of Iraq's political parties.

Moussa pointed out that the proposed dialogue among Iraqi political forces, scheduled to take place in Cairo, would offer all parties the opportunity to speak out their views on the future of Iraq. He urged the Kurds to attend the conference.

Meanwhile, AL Secretary General Amr Moussa met with the Iraqi Kurdish parliament Speaker Adnan Mufti and a number of MPs and representatives of Kurdish political parties attending. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiar Zibari was also present.

Moussa spoke of the Arab initiative to hold a national reconciliation conference under the AL auspices in mid- November.

Following the meeting, Moussa addressed the Kurdish parliament reviewing his mission and the role played by the AL towards creating an independent and free Iraq and bringing an end to all acts of violence.

On his part, Mufti expressed Iraq's Kurds support of the proposed conference. He underlined that all Iraqi factions should be represented. Terrorists and perpetrators of acts of violence, however, he said should be excluded.