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| Today: 09 February 2010 Time: 07:46 PM |
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| Iraq MPs oppose US division plan |
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| Politics 9/26/2007 3:17:00 PM |
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BASRA, Sept 26 (KUNA) -- Two Iraqi parliamentary blocs have enunciated
opposition to a US plan aiming to subdivide Iraq on ethnic lines, notably
Kurds, Sunnis and Shiites.
The US Senate was expected to vote as early as Tuesday on a Bosnia-style
plan to subdivide Iraq on ethnic lines, touted by backers as the sole hope of
forging a federal state out of sectarian strife.
Advocates say the plan, championed by Democratic senator and presidential
hopeful Joseph Biden, offers a route to a political solution in Iraq that
could allow US troops to eventually go home without leaving chaos behind.
A loose autonomous federation of Kurdish, Shiite and Sunni entities might
look good on paper, but critics charge it ignores Iraq's ethnic stew, such as
cities where ethnic groups live side-by-side and inter-marry, and are not
divided by lines on a map.
Abbas al-Biati, representing the Iraqi United Alliance bloc, said the
system in place in Iraq at present is a federal one, and the formation of
regions does not mean the subdivision of Iraq.
"What is said by some American politicians is unacceptable," he said,
adding that the Iraqi parliament and government opposed foreign interference
in Iraq's internal affairs, and that it was up to the Iraqis themselves to
shape the future of their country.
Omar al-Jabori, spokesman for the independent Sunni Arab bloc, condemned
the US draft policy aiming to subdivide Iraq on ethnic and sectarian lines.
He urged all Iraqi political entities and blocs to stand united as one
against the fresh US blueprint aiming to control Iraq's wealth, resources and
destiny.
US Ambassador in Baghdad Rayan Crocker told US Congress earlier this month
that he would back a federal system in Iraqi regions, but would object to any
subdivision plan. (end)
smj.mt
KUNA 261517 Sep 07NNNN
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