Revival of Iraqi opposition in Damascus

Sources in the Iraqi opposition told the London-based al-Hayat daily in Damascus that representatives of the parties falling under "the committee in charge of national and democratic efforts in Iraq" have started a political initiative in the recent days, following "a stalemate" that lasted for two years.

The sources said that they visited the representatives and headquarters of the other Iraqi opposition parties in Damascus and discussed with them means of "reactivating opposition media and political activities against President Saddam Hussein's rule."

The coordination committee includes several parties, including the Baath Arab Socialist Party, the Arab Socialist Movement, the Socialist Party in Iraq, the Federation of Iraqi Democrats and the Iraqi Nasserite Movement.

Opposition forces linked this new movement to regional developments pertaining to the stand towards the Iraqi government and the peace process.

The official in charge of foreign relations at the coordination committee, Mahdi al-Obeidi told al-Hayat that such meetings are periodic and that they discussed "organizational, political and media matters."

Opposition forces indicated that certain opposition parties which take Damascus as a headquarters have witnessed a "stalemate" in the two last years, following the Iraqi- Syrian rapprochement on May 17 following 17 years of boycott.

They said there are other indicators for reviving opposition activities, including the call of the "coordination committee" of the Iraqi parties to celebrate the anniversary of the July 14 revolution in one of the Iraqi headquarters in Damascus.