Agreement in Baghdad between Iraqi government and opposition factions

Diplomatic sources and Iraqi opposition sources announced that an important agreement was ratified in Baghdad on Wednesday between the Iraqi government and eight opposition factions who made a two-day visit to Iraq to hold talks that were described as "urgent" after the agreement of President Saddam Hussein to meet with the representatives.

The Iraqi diplomatic sources described the agreement as "historical."

The opposition sources said that Baghdad asked for a period of time to apply what came in the agreement to last until the end of the conflict between Iraq and the United States and US allies in the area.

The eight factions that signed the agreement are the United Iraqi Organization, the Communist Party, the Islamic Union, the Islamic Association, the National Movement, the Socialist National Union, the Islamic Forum and the Socialist Association.