IRAQ NEWS 

 Issue 1   Sunday 5.6.2004

 The editorial of Tareeq Al-Shaab, the central organ of Iraqi CP, in its weekly edition 23-29 May, dealt with the issue of restoring national sovereignty and the mechanisms for achieving this under the prevalent circumstances in Iraq.

It pointed out that the transfer of power from the occupation authority, the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), to the Iraqi interim government on 30 June 2004, should take into consideration the following principles:

-  The transfer to Iraqi ministries full authority to run their own affairs, and draw up policies, plans and specific programs as pertaining to each ministry. This is to be carried out in collaboration with various sectors at all levels to ensure the provision of basic services to all citizens, and the reinvigoration of economic activity and necessary prioritisation therein.

-  Full control by the Iraqi Government over all elements of the Armed Forces and internal security organs, as well as measures to transfer responsibility for security to the Iraqis and relevant bodies, which need to be promptly and effectively formed, trained and equipped in order to carry out their tasks fully.

-  Enabling the Iraqi Government to control all of Iraq’s financial resources public property and land. The Iraqi Government shall freely exercise this right fully in the service of the Iraqi people.

-  The importance and necessity of upholding the tenets of the Transitional Administrative Law for the Iraqi State insofar as it pertains to the long-term agreements and decrees issued by the CPA.

 At “Sovereignty and Democracy” Conferences :Iraqi CP Calls for Big UN Role in Political Process

  The General Conference for Sovereignty and Democracy was held in Baghdad on Friday 28 May 2004, concluding thereby a series of conferences organised in several governorates by the Iraqi Council for Peace and Solidarity.

 The Conference was attended by hundreds of people representing various patriotic political parties and social, intellectual and tribal groups. Mr Al-Akhdar al-Ibrahimi, the envoy of UN Secretary General, was among participants, along with leading political figures, among them comrade Hamid Majid Mousa (Iraqi CP leader), Mr Masoud Barzani (Kurdistan Democratic Party leader), Dr Adnan Pachachi, and several members of the Governing Council and ministers.

 Comrade Mousa and a Communist Party delegation had attended an earlier conference held in the city of Arbil during 15-16 May, under the slogan “Full Sovereignty is the Basis for Democracy”. More than 650 figures, representing the whole political and social spectrum in Iraqi Kurdistan, attended. Among those present was Izzedin Selim, the late president of the Governing Council, Mr Jalal Talabani (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan leader) and Mr Barzani, as well as Mr Al-Ibrahimi. 

 In a contribution to the discussions at the conference, comrade Mousa stressed the big role of the UN in the on-going political process in Iraq. He called for developing an alternative to the existing institutions, i.e. the Governing Council and the occupation authority, that would represent Iraqi people’s interests and enjoy broader and real powers, encompassing the political and ideological trends that were not represented in the Governing Council, together with bigger representation for governorates and women.

 The Conference issued a final statement stressing Iraq’s national unity and the need to prepare Iraqi citizens for general elections at the end of the year and ensure their success. It also called for broad representation of the Iraqi people in the interim government, without marginalizing any group.

 At International Rally of CP of Britain: Iraqi People’s Voice must be Heard!

 At an International Rally, organized in London by the Communist Party of Britain on 29 May 2004, during its 48^th National Congress, the representative of the Iraqi Communist Party shared the platform with Sam Webb, National Chair of the Communist Party USA, Robert Griffiths, the General Secretary of CP of Britain, and Avtar Sadiq from the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

 Salam Ali, member of ICP’s Central Committee, delivered a message of greeting which expressed high appreciation for the internationalist support and solidarity extended by British Communists, over many decades, against successive dictatorships and fascist campaigns of terror, mass executions and physical liquidation of Iraqi Communists and democrats.

 The message said: “The future of Iraq, and the whole region, depends to a large extent on the outcome of the on-going political process in our country.”

It also pointed out that the draft UN resolution, that had been presented a few days earlier by the US and British governments for discussion at the UN Security Council, “does not adequately address the issue of proper transfer of full and real, rather than formal, sovereignty and power to the Iraqi people.  Many issues have been dealt with in a deliberately vague way. Our Party regards this document as only preliminary ideas for discussion, which need to be scrutinized and amended to take into account, first and foremost, the legitimate demands of the Iraqi people. Their voice must be heard. They demand full control on all internal and external affairs of the Iraqi state, including control of security, military matters, and control over financial and economic resources.”

 “The 30^th of June is therefore seen by our people as an important and crucial step along the path to restoring national sovereignty and ending the occupation.”

.Solidarity with our People and Party at Congress of CP of Finland

 An Iraqi CP delegation, headed by Dr Saleh Yasser, CC member, attended the Congress of the Communist Party of Finland, held in Helsinki during the period 15–16 May 2004. A message of greeting was delivered, and meetings were held with many delegations of fraternal parties and political organisations that were present at the Congress. A “Solidarity Appeal” (see below) was signed by several  delegates, expressing support for the Iraqi people, Communists and democratic forces.

 The visit itinerary also included a press conference about the current situation in Iraq, meetings at the parliament with the Left party, Social Democratic Party and Green Party. A public meeting for the Iraqi community was held on 17^th May and was addressed by comrade Yasser.

Solidarity Appeal

 We, the undersigned, representatives of political parties, movements and organisations, participants in the Congress of the Communist Party of Finland, held in Helsinki during the period 15–16 May 2004, having considered the situation in Iraq, express our full solidarity  with the Iraqi Communist Party and Iraqi democratic forces in their struggle to end the occupation, restore national sovereignty and independence, and build a new unified, democratic and federal Iraq.

     Name                  Party / Organisation                             Signature

 Yrjِ Hakanen              Communist Party of Finland                           Chairman of the Party         

Dr. Zuheir Elwazir        PLO representative in Finland                        Ambassador   

Bernt Kamin                Communist Party of Germany (DKP)              Trade union leader

Taivo Rist                    Estonian Social Democratic Labour Party     Exec. Committee member         

Abelardo Curbelo        Communist Party of Cuba                               Central Committee member

Svajotslav Sokol          Communist Party of Russian Federation        Central Committee member

Igor Alaksejev              Communist Party  of Ukraine                         Central Committee member

Phan Tien Nhien          Communist Party  of Vietnam                        Central Committee member                      

Henrik Stamer-Hedin   Communist Party of Denmark                         Chairman of the Party           

Nikos Seretakis            Communist Party of Greece                          Central Committee member

Leena Brunberg           Democratic Women Network of Helsinki       Chairwoman 

Miko Kifiboro                Communist Youth League of Finland            Secretary

Mario Pelo                    Finnish