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| Iraq-Jordan |
| Kumbayaa! UN Envoy Says Kurds, Shi’ites Will Settle Dispute |
| 2004-06-10 |
| via Rooters Wed Jun 9, 2004 07:19 PM ET By Evelyn Leopold UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi expressed confidence on Wednesday that Iraqi Kurds and Shi’ites would find "common ground" in their escalating dispute over minority and majority rights in a new government. Brahimi, who has just returned from Baghdad after helping form the interim government, said both sides had valid arguments but they also had common-sense leaders who can settle the dispute. "It is not like one side or the other is being unreasonable," Brahimi told a news conference. "I am sure they will find common ground for Iraq to continue along this rather difficult and challenging transition toward stability." Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and the other leading Shi’ite clergy as well as the Kurdish leaders were all "very, very responsible people," he said. The simmering conflict came to a head with the U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution on Tuesday endorsing an interim Iraqi government on June 30, but omitting mention of a provisional constitution that provided for Kurdish self-rule. Kurdish leaders have threatened to leave the new government unless they got guarantees against Shi’ite plans to scrap parts of the temporary constitution, which in effect grants Kurds veto power over a permanent constitution to be written next year. Brahimi noted both communities had been oppressed under Saddam Hussein. While the Shi’ites spoke of majority rights and not giving anyone "a blanket veto," he said, "The Kurds are talking about guarantees for a minority, a minority that has suffered a great deal and lots of promises were made to them and they were betrayed in the past. They want to be absolutely certain now that they will not be second class citizens, that they will be partners," he said. ...more... One can dream, I guess. With the UN Stamp of Approval and Brahimi’s speculation, it’s a done deal...not. That and $4 will get you a Latte Venti. We shall see. |
| Posted by:.com |
| #4 But see Ali's analysis at Iraq the Model. |
| Posted by: someone 2004-06-10 7:00:19 PM |
| #3 If America does not ensure that Kurds and women are installed in sufficient numbers to provide an adequate legislative counterbalance against creeping Shiite theocracy, we will have betrayed all Iraq's people plus our soldiers that fought and died there. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2004-06-10 5:15:49 PM |
| #2 We'll see. Given the Kurds' loyalty, courage, and commitment to win this war, throwing them out to the wolves is a pretty big betrayal on our part. We may soon be joining ranks with the UN on that-betrayal is becoming predictable lately. |
| Posted by: jules 187 2004-06-10 10:40:18 AM |
| #1 Reuters) - Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani gave a cautious welcome to a U.N. resolution on Iraq's future, despite earlier threats to quit the interim government over the document's failure to recognize Kurdish autonomy. "We are happy that the Security Council resolution mentioned federalism, but we regret that it did not mention the Kurdish people," Talabani told a television station run by his Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party late on Wednesday. |
| Posted by: Liberalhawk 2004-06-10 9:58:59 AM |