MEETING OF THE IRAQI FOLLOW UP COMMITTEE DELAYED
PARIS, 19 Jan. (IPS) The meeting of the Follow up and Coordination Committee (FCC) of the Iraqi opposition the was scheduled to be organised in Erbil on 15 January had been postponed until the end of the month, informed Kurdish sources confirmed Sunday.
The 65 members FCC was formed at the end of the conference of some 350 Iraqis representing more than 50 opposition groups, organisations, parties and individuals held in London between 14 to 17 December and was decided that its members would meet in the Kurdish city of Erbil on 15 January to come out with plans and projects for post-Saddam Hoseyn, including the creation of a provisory government and parliament.
The conference also agreed on a political blueprint for the country's future, calling for a federal and tolerant Iraq and ruled out any foreign occupation of Iraq, in reference to plans attributed to some advisers of President George W. Bush for naming an American Governor for Iraq for a period of at least one year, the same Washington had applied to Japan and Germany after the second world war.
The security of the members of the FCC and the fact that they must get visas from Iran, Turkey and Syria to access Iraqi Kurdistan are the two main factors explaining the delay of the meeting.
"The meeting was reported to the end of the month because of security concerns logistic concerns", Mr. Ahmad Bamerani, the European Representative of the Patriotic Union of (Iraqi) Kurdistan (PUK) told Iran Press Service, pointing out to visa problems and the "proximity" of Erbil with the lines of Iraqi army.
He said since most of major Kurdish cities are in the range of Saddam’s missiles, safeguarding the security of the participants is of major concern to the organisers, the Democratic Party of (Iraqi) Kurdistan of Mr. Mas’ood Barzani and the PUK, which is led by Mr. Jalal Talebani.
Though Salaheddin is being considered as the best and most secure place for the meeting, yet Mr. Bamerani observed that hosting a large conference in that city "is not very easy".
"The latest decision is Salahaddin, but some representatives have security concerns there also" he added.
Besides the problems of visa and security, there are also some divergences over the number of the SAIRI delegates at the FCC, other Kurdish sources conceded.
"Some groups are of the opinion that the Shi’a have the lion’s share at the Follow up Committee, which, among other responsibilities, has the important role of coordinating with foreign powers", one source told IPS, referring to "differences" between the SAIRI with some Kurdish and Sunni-based forces, like the Monarchists and the INC.
"Ankara, Istanbul even Antalya have come to the agenda as the place for the meeting on offer from the PUK leader Jalal Talebani that also has the blessing of Washington. DPK and the Iraqi Shi’ites seem to be reluctant on the issue while Iraqi Turkoman Front supports the proposal", the English-language Turkish Daily News said, adding that Turkey was "hesitant" on hosting the Iraqi opposition.
Pressed by Washington, both Turkey and Iran have recognised the Iraqi opposition and consult with leaders of major opposition forces, some of them, like Mr. Talebani, his rival, Mr. Mas’ood Barzani and Mr. Chalabi have visited Iran recently.
While in Tehran, Mr. Talebani assured Iranian officials that the United States would take no actions against Iran in case it attacks Baghdad.
In exchange, Tehran agreed to allow Iraqi opposition to use the Iranian territory for attacking Saddam forces.
The SAIRI, which is led by Ayatollah Baqer Hakim, is reported to have between 30.000 to 50.000 men, trained and armed by the Iranian revolutionary Guards.
The preparation committee comprises representatives from the main opposition groups, namely the pro-US Iraqi National Congress of Dr. Ahmad Chalabi, the SAIRI, the two Kurdish parties of DPK and PUK, the Iraqi National Accord headed by neurologist Iyad Allawi, and Iraqi Constitutional Monarchic Movement led by Prince Sharif ben Ali
ENDS IRAQI FCC MEETING POSPONED 19103