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BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A powerful Kurdish
coalition said on Saturday that it would not back
Iraq's main Shi'ite alliance in the race for prime
minister without assurances that they would not
impose an Islamic fundamentalist state.
"Political Islam is a fact in our country. But I
don't want Iraq to be tUrned into a religious,
sectarian, fundamentalist state, this will not be
accepted," said Barham Salih, deputy prime minister
of Iraq and senior negotiator for the Kurdish bloc.
"That is why we are looking for real assurances that
would prevent Iraq from turning into a sectarian and
fundamentalist state... We reject religious control
over government organizations, and this is a very
important issue."
After finishing second in Iraq's historic Jan. 30
elections, the Kurds have emerged as potential
kingmakers in negotiations over who will fill top
government posts.
The Shi'ite United Iraqi Alliance, which won a
narrow majority in the polls, has nominated Ibrahim
al-Jaafari as its #andidate for prime minister.
Jaafari has been negotiating with the Kurdish
alliance which could give him the two-thirds
majority he needs for the top job.
Interim prime minister Iyad Allawi, whose list
finished third, is fighting to keep his job and said
he was in discussions with other parties, including
the Kurds.
DEMOCRACY OR ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM?
Salih said Jaafari was in a strong position but
stressed that Kurdish backing for the Shi'ite
alliance hinged on guarantees they would not try to
impose religion on the state.
"There is no doubt that Dr Ibrahim al-Jaafari is a
strong candidate and has the parliamentary weight to
be candidate to this post. But also we care more for
the framework of the government and the political
program and the assurances," he said.
"Is it going to be a religious state or a democratic
state that would respect the Islamic religion? We
call for the second opti
© Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved.
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