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Delegates of 47 political parties active in Iraq's
autonomous region of Kurdistan met in its capital
Irbil on 22 September to meet before the upcoming
referendum on the constitution draft, RFE/RL's Radio
Free Iraq (RFI) reported.
Representatives of the two major Kurdish parties -
the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic
Union of Kurdistan -- along with minor Kurdish,
Turkoman, Chaldean, and Assyrian parties attended
the meeting. The parties agreed on their common
support for a "Yes" vote. They also decided to set
up a committee that will coordinate a "Yes"
campaign.
Mahmud Muhammad, member of the Central Committee of
the Kurdistan Democratic Party, told journalists
that the campaign will start at the beginning of
October. Following the meeting, RFI interviewed some
of the participants.
RFI: It is known that the people of Kurdistan
participated widely in the general elections in
January 2005. Has this meeting indicated that the
political parties in Kurdistan might be concerned
about the turnout in the upcoming referendum?
Karkhi Najm al-Din Altiparmak, president of the
Turkoman Democratic Movement: We are convinced that
the people of Kurdistan will vote "Yes."
Nevertheless, we should be prepared [for the
referendum] and, as we were in the last elections of
January 2005, united in our stance with the people
of Kurdistan. We should speak with the same voice
when we will say "Yes." Politicians, intellectuals,
and ordinary people should stand united....
Ali Bapir from the Kurdistan Islamic Group:
Most [of the participants] have expressed some
objections and reservations on some parts of the
constitution but they support an affirmative vote
[in the referendum]. At this time, this is the best
choice.
[...]
RFI: As an Islamic politician, to what extent
have you found your ambitions fulfilled in the
constitution?
Bapir: We do have some objections on the
constitution, from legal, political, and also
national standpoints. But seeing it as a whole, we
do intend to vote for the constitution.
www.rferl.org
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