Iraqi govenment seriously angered by the US’s conduct in supporting Mojahedin Khalq Terrorist group (Rajavi cult or Saddam’s Private Army) in Ashraf camp in Dialy province against the will of the Iraqis
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Q- A while ago, the Iraqi government had asked for the expulsion of Monafeqin [hypocrites; term used to describe opposition group Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization based in Iraq], but we are still witnessing their presence and the American support for them. What happened to this issue?
A- The position of the Iraqi government in expelling the Monafeqin group remains in place. Unfortunately, the American support for this group is obvious and against the will of the Iraqi government. The Iraqi government has announced that the area which is under American control should be returned to the government and according to the legislation approved by the Iraqi government the members of this group must leave Iraq once the area is returned to the Iraqi government.
Considering the very negative role that this group has had in the security situation of Dayaleh Province and intensifying the insecurities in this region, the government of Iraq is seriously angered by their conduct and is making efforts to take control of this issue.
BBC Monitoring Middle East, October 03, 2007
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Full Report:
Iranian envoy says US Senate’s plan to”divide”Iraq against will of people
Text of interview conducted with Iranian ambassador to Iraq, Hasan Kazemi-Qomi by Ehsan Taqaddosi headlined”Tehran’s dissatisfaction with American Senate’s plan”published by Iranian newspaper Iran on 30 September
The plan to divide Iraq presented by the chairman of the American Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, Joseph Bayden, which was later approved has created a lot of controversy. This plan was presented at a time when the neoconservatives of the White House found all their strategies in Iraq unsuccessful and the Democrats stepped into the Iraq war policy room and delivered the plan to divide Iraq. The Senate’s plan for Iraq has been copied from the well-known Dayton Treaty in Bosnia, which in the eyes of the democrats, is a solution for controlling and ending the wave of violence in Iraq.
The Senate’s plan recommends a federal government for Iraq that would include separate and autonomous Shi’i, Sunni and Kurdish regions.
Although this plan was immediately rejected by all Iraqi groups and figures but is still making headlines in Iraq. We have discussed this issue with our country’s ambassador in Baghdad, Hasan Kazemi-Qomi which is as follows:
Q- What is the aim behind the Congress and Senate’s plan?
A- The political system of Iraq has been defined based on the central and federal government within the framework of the constitution and the people of Iraq have confirmed this. According to the Iraqi constitution, each province or a combination of more than one province could submit their request for federalising that region. Given the cultural, social, political and economic structure of Iraq, naturally a political systems based on federalism could secure both the interests of social groups and the national interests of Iraq.
Even the mechanism for materializing federalism has been included within the framework of the Iraqi constitution. What has been notable in terms of the people of Iraq and this country’s constitution is safeguarding the solidarity, independence and territorial integrity of Iraq. Whatever, is outside the principles embodied in the constitution would be unacceptable in the view of the Iraqi people.
In addition to Iraqi people, the neighbouring countries of Iraq are also opposed to any division of Iraq under any circumstances as the Iraqi experience [the occupation] and the division of this country is neither in the expedience of the Iraqi people nor the countries of the region.
Q- Do you think this plan could be accepted inside Iraq?
A- The reaction of Iraq’s political leaders and the people of this country to what was approved in the American Senate were strongly negative. In their view, this legislation was a kind of interference in Iraq’s internal affairs and no political group in Iraq supported this plan.
Q- What thought and policy has the White House been pursuing in Iraq after the well-known Crocker-Petraeus report?
A- The report that was presented to the Congress by Crocker and Petraeus was in fact a staged scenario and had no new point that would have been derived from a new strategy. In the view of the Iraqi people, this report was not an Iraqi report but a report to eliminate the domestic problems of America. That is why it was received with indifference by the Iraqi people.
The Americans have not presented a new plan but what was seen in this report indicated that the Americans are after a long-term presence in Iraq and this issue is definitely in contradiction with the will of the people and government of Iraq.
Q- From now on, how would the Americans establish their relations with the Iraqi government in the diplomatic dimension?
A- From the Iraqi point of view, America must end its military presence in Iraq and define its relations with Iraq like other countries. The Iraqi government considers no concessions for America and is willing to have good and balanced relations with all countries and particularly its neighbouring countries. This also includes America – of course, without giving any special concessions. In addition, in the view of the Iraqi government the issue of the office for security affairs should be returned to the government.
Q- A while ago, the Iraqi government had asked for the expulsion of Monafeqin [hypocrites; term used to describe opposition group Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization based in Iraq], but we are still witnessing their presence and the American support for them. What happened to this issue?
A- The position of the Iraqi government in expelling the Monafeqin group remains in place. Unfortunately, the American support for this group is obvious and against the will of the Iraqi government. The Iraqi government has announced that the area which is under American control should be returned to the government and according to the legislation approved by the Iraqi government the members of this group must leave Iraq once the area is returned to the Iraqi government.
Considering the very negative role that this group has had in the security situation of Dayaleh Province and intensifying the insecurities in this region, the government of Iraq is seriously angered by their conduct and is making efforts to take control of this issue.
Source: Iran, Tehran, in Persian, on 30 Sept 07, p21
