Talabani: We demand lifting of sanctions on Iraq

In statements to al-Ahram today, the head of the Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Jalal Talabani, called for ending the sufferings of the Iraqi people and uplifting the international sanctions imposed upon Iraq.

He called for the Iraqi people's freedom, rights and applying all the UN's resolutions, including U.N. Security Council resolution 688 calling for democracy, and human rights for all Iraqi people.

Talabani said he believes the Iraqi decision to boycott the Arab - Kurdish conference recently held in Cairo was wrong, saying that this meeting cannot be considered against Iraq in any way because the main reason behind this meeting was to enhance the joint understanding and national unity between Kurds and Arabs inside Iraq.