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Iraqi parties to sign Helsinki Agreement later today

BAGHDAD, July 5 (KUNA) -- A national conciliation conference will be held within the coming few hours, during which the Helsinki Agreement is set to be signed under the supervision of Northern Ireland's Deputy Premier Martin McGuinness and leading South African politician Siril Ramafoza.
Spokesman for the Iraqi Accord Front Saleem Abdullah told KUNA that an invitation for the conference, to be held under the sponsorship of the UN, was sent out by the Embassy of Finland here.
The conference is set to be held at 2:00 p.m. (local time), he said, adding that a copy of the Helsinki Agreement had been distributed to the participants.
The Helsinki Agreement was placed when representatives of Iraqi parties and blocs held discussions in Finland from August 31 through September 3, 2007, and agreed to consult further on a number of recommendations to start negotiations to reach national reconciliation.
The recommendations including resolving all political issues through non-violence and democracy; prohibiting the use of arms for all armed groups during the process of negotiations; and forming an independent commission approved by all parties, its task being to supervise the process of disarmament of non-governmental armed groups in a verifiable manner.
It also stipulates that all parties will commit to accept the results of the negotiations and no party can be subject to a threat of force from any groups that reject all or part of any agreement reached; working to end international and regional interference in internal Iraqi affairs; commitment to protect human rights; assuring the independence and efficiency of the legal and justice systems, especially the constitutional court; ensuring full participation of all Iraqi parties and blocs in the political process and agreed governance arrangements; and taking all necessary steps to end all violence, killings, forced displacement and any further damage to infrastructure.
Furthermore, the agreement states the establishment of an independent consultative body to explore ways to deal with the legacy of the past in a way that will unite the nation; that all Iraqi parties and blocs have to build Iraq and contribute efficiently to support all the efforts that would make the political process and Iraqi unity successful and to preserve its sovereignty; and that all participating groups must commit to all of the principles listed here as a complete system of rules. (end) mhg.ema KUNA 051323 Jul 08NNNN