On February 8 and 9 more than 200 Iraqi oppositionists gathered in Paris. Among them Baath break-away groups, numerous communists including the leader of the “National Democratic Communist Movement” founded in 2001, and also Kurdish and Islamic forces. They all share the view that facing the impending US aggression on their country it is necessary to be on the side of their country, to defend it. They are searching for national reconciliation without dropping their opposition to the Baghdad regime.
By the end of last year a delegation of “Iraqi National Coalition” conducted talks with the authorities agreeing on a three point programme to be implemented from now on: preparations for a new constitution, a new party law providing for a multi party system and a new press law. The congress approved this step.
The leader of the coalition, Al Kubaysi, called upon the exiled Iraqi community to return to their country in order to defend it. Political differences between the components of the coalition, for example on the question of Kurdish autonomy, have to be put aside in view of the emergency situation.
Although some participants expressed doubts whether reconciliation with Saddam Hussein is possible, the congress met the general spirit not only of political militants but also many exiled intellectuals, artists and business men: “Despite our oppositionist views we do not want to be misused for the aggression on our country like those who recently gathered in London under US patronage.”
