Hopes and fears
Amid growing signs of war in Iraq, the Turkish capital played host this week to a meeting of Turkish and US officials with several Iraqi opposition leaders. James Martone, in Ankara, listened to the Iraqi leaders express hopes and fears concerning the future of their country
Jalal Talabani, leader of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK):
"We are for having a united democratic parliamentarian federal Iraq; this Iraq is independent, it has its own national sovereignty, according to the right of self-determination. Only Iraqi people are authorised to draw the plan for the future of Iraq, to reshape Iraq. This right does not extend to any other country, no other country -- big or neighbouring -- has the right to interfere in Iraqi internal affairs. Only the people of Iraq can decide the future of Iraq. It is the mandate of freely elected representatives of the Iraqi people to reshape Iraq. Iraq's neighbours must respect whatever political system the Iraqi people choose for themselves, otherwise any talk about Iraqi sovereignty would be meaningless.
"A democratic united Iraq is our hope, one which must be based on human rights, democracy, federation and equal national rights for all Iraqis; Kurds, Arabs, Turkomans Assyrians, Shi'ites and Sunnis. All these groups must have equal national rights and equal participation in the central government's rule.''
Hoshyar Zebari, International Relations Bureau of Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP):
"As Kurds, we have no hidden agenda, we are for Iraq's unity and territorial integrity. We don't seek the establishment of an independent Kurdish state, for we see ourselves as an integral part of the Iraqi makeup, and we are working with all Iraqi forces in order to have a common vision. This we have achieved in the London conference recently, and this is what we want to work for: a democratic, pluralistic, federal and united country. We have no interest whatsoever in a divided Iraq.
"[The Americans] have let us down and we have some very bitter memories, from 1975, 1988 and 1991. However, America after 11 September is different; what the Americans are concerned about now is national security, and not geo-political games. This is why we have common objectives with the Americans now. Also, we have learned our lessons, we are no longer isolated tribesmen in the mountains who could be gassed and massacred without anyone raising a voice. We have learned many things, including how to present our case to world public opinion.''
Abdul-Aziz Al-Hakim, head of the military wing of the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI):
"We want to see all the component elements of the Iraqi society taking part in the future government of the country; the Arabs, Kurds, Turkomans, Sunnis, Shi'ites and Christians, we want them all to take part in the future of the country. Only then can we have a political regime free from any ethnic or sectarian discrimination, with one constitution, approved by all the Iraqi people. In a democratic system like that we are sure to have good relations with neighbouring countries.
"There are large numbers of (SCIRI) fighters inside Iraq, in addition there are a lot of people who are ready to take to arms and engage in the battle. We call them mobilisation forces, they are tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands. The Iraqi people feel now that the present regime is their enemy and they are ready to engage in a battle against it, because of the oppressive, dictatorial and sectarian policies of that regime. The Iraqis are now ready to rise up against the regime, like they did in 1991.
"The Iraqi people, with all different ethnic and sectarian components, approve of the independence of Iraq, and the independence of the Iraqi opposition. They will not accept the interference of any foreign forces, whether American or otherwise.''
