KURDISTAN NEWSLINE

Jalal Talabani Visits Turkey

November 14, 2002

Ankara, Nov. 12 – The Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani arrived in Ankara today after visiting Iran and Syria. The visit is part of a diplomatic tour for the purpose of talks and consultations with the officials of the region concerning the Iraq situation. He stated that he will be holding discussion and exchange views with the Turkish friends prior to the forthcoming Iraqi opposition conference due to be held later this month in Brussels.

In interviews with Turkish television channels – CNN Turk, NTV, TV 8 - Mr. Talabani reaffirmed the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan’s core policies regarding forthcoming developments, underscoring its commitment toward achieving a democratic, federal and united Iraq under which Arabs, Kurds, Turkomen and Assyrians live in freedom, amity and prosperity. He added that the Kurdish people in Iraq want to reinforce the national unity of Iraq and that any talk of separation is well-worn red herring and excuse for totalitarian rule. Referring to the new Security Council Resolution 1441, Mr. Talabani said, “ This resolution is in the interest of the people of Iraq and the region. If Iraq rids itself of these lethal weapons, its people will have the opportunity to live in peace.” Answering a question on the recent Turkish elections, he said, “ We respect the decision and will of the people of Turkey in choosing the two parties to be represented in Parliament.”

Opposition Brussels Conference

London, Nov. 12 – In an interview with the Kurdish daily Kurdistani Nwe a member of the Steering Committee of the Iraqi opposition, Dr. Fuad Masum has confirmed that the conference will be held on November 22-25 in Brussels, Belgium. More than 200 delegates will represent thirty-five political parties and organizations, reflecting inclusive and broad-based elements of Iraqi polity. Invitations have also been sent to the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and to regional states of Iran, Turkey, Syria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. A number of European countries concerned with the Iraqi issue have been invited, as well as a number of American and European personalities such as Los Ayala, Secretary-General of the Socialist International, Baroness Emma Nicholson, Ambassador Peter Galbraith and Anne Clwyd, MP.

The agenda of the conference will focus on the need to put forward a serious and inspiring vision of Iraq following the August meeting of the opposition Group of Six in Washington that was convened at the behest of the United States administration. The meeting established a set of principles regarding the future of Iraq, including the need for a democratic, multi-ethnic, unified Iraq. The conference will consider a number of papers presented by working groups of the Steering Committee dealing with such policy matters as democratic principles, federalism, human rights, public finance and transitional issues.

Kurdistan Parliament Prepares for Elections

Arbil, Nov. 12 – The Kurdistan National Assembly announced that it has set up an ad hoc parliamentary committee to prepare for the legislative elections in the region, which will be held in July 2003 at the latest.

The committee comprises representatives of the three parliamentary blocks: Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (Green), Kurdistan Democratic Party (Yellow) and Christians (Purple). The main assignment of the new committee would be to devise procedures and regulations concerning the electoral mechanism and procedures for the conduct of the forthcoming regional elections. An important task is to carry out a regional census for the eligible voters for Iraqi Kurdistan, home to some four million people.

The last elections were conducted in 1992, which was the first free elections carried out in any part of Iraq since the state was established by Britain after World War I.

3 New Women Judges

Sulaimani, Nov. 2 – In another decision to promote women empowerment, three new women judges - Chirakhan Ibrahim Fattah, Hawa Hama Rashid Sharif and Kashaw Mohamad Amin Fattah – took the judicial oath of office in front of the Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Dr. Barham Salih. The first woman judge in Kurdistan region took office in January this year.