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Talabani Interview: Saddam verdict not
politically motivated
6.11.2006
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Paris, November
6,-- Iraq's president Jalal Talabani said Monday he
felt the trial of Saddam and his top aides had been
carried out "in a just manner" that was "respectful
of the law" and dismissed the notion that the death
sentence handed down Sunday was politically timed or
motivated.
In an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI)
at the end of his official visit to France, Talabani
also argued that there is no civil war in Iraq.
"It's true there is violence but it is not a civil
war based on religious or national claims," he said.
He added that "halting the violence implies
completing the building of Iraq's state
institutions, reaching agreement on a project of
national reconciliation and finding an accord on the
fact that differences should be sorted out at the
ballot box and not by shotguns."
Regarding the relationship between Iraq and its
neighbours, Talabani explained that "our ties with
most neighbouring states are excellent," adding that
those countries realise that stability in Iraq is
the key to stability in the region. |
Iraqi
President : Jalal Talabani, a Kurd
Photo: Military |
He warned through of the
need to end "any form of interference in our
internal affairs and the end of external support for
terrorism and all other forms of violence."
Regarding criticism from some Western countries that
the current Iraqi government has not done enough to
disarm (mainly Shiite) militias, the Iraqi president
stated that "the question of the militias is a very
complex and tricky one but the Iraqi leadership is
unanimous on one thing; that is taking forward the
process of concentrating weapons in the hands of the
state, which must have the monopoly on the use of
force."
Talabani also addressed the issue of the withdrawal
of foreign troops from Iraq. "Iraqi political forces
agree that multinational troops need to stay until
training of our army and security officials is
completed." He added that "by the end of the year we
will be in charge of security in about half of
Iraq's provinces." |
Meanwhile, the spokesman of
the Kurdistan regional government in Iraq, Khaled
Salih, has appealed for the death penalty for Saddam
and his half brother Barzan not to be carried out
"until the sentence on
the crimes of al-Anfal"
is announced.
"Delivering the verdict before all the ongoing
trials are completed will have negative
repercussions on the national reconciliation process
in Iraq," Salih warned.
In a statement, released on Monday, a spokesman
described as "just" the sentence of capital
punishment issued by the court. |
Khaled Salih, spokesman of the Kurdistan regional
government (Iraq) |
Saddam is also on trial for the crimes of al-Anfal,
when chemical bombs were used against resident in
the city of Halabja, as part of the regime's
campaign against the Kurdish people in the late
1980s in which 4,500 villages were destroyed.
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