3-16-06, 8:47 am

Comrade Mufid al-Jazairy, member of Iraqi CP's Political Bureau, stressed the need for exerting efforts to set up a committee that includes representatives of all the active political blocs in parliament, to discuss the fundamental issues and take decisions. He was quoted by the National Iraqi News Agency (13 March 2006) as saying that it is important that no single party or bloc monopolizes decision making, and efforts should be made to ensure that all parties participate in this process.

He said: 'It is also essential, for the same reason, to agree on inner rules for the Council of Ministers that would determine the way it functions and the how the state is run. This would ensure active involvement by all the parties participating in the government'.

Regarding the delay in the formation of the government and its impact on the security situation, he said: 'This delay adversely affects, in one of its aspects, the security situation. It gives the impression that the political forces are too immersed in their fight over narrow interests and gains, and are therefore incapable of achieving agreement and consensus on joint decisions in the interest of the people and country. It gives rise to deep concern and tension among the public, and sends instead wrong messages to the terrorist and anti-democratic forces, encouraging them to continue and escalate their criminal activities. It is therefore urgent that this dangerous loophole is tackled and serious efforts are made to speed up the formation of the government'.

He pointed out, however, that while stressing the need to speed up the formation of the government, this does not mean acting in a rash manner and resorting, for example, to sectarian quota as the basis for its formation. He said: 'We, as Communist Party, and as a democratic movement in general, want the forthcoming government to be one of national unity, that is broadly based, with all the active blocs in the parliament participating in it. Obviously, we do not want this government, under no circumstances, to be a government set up on sectarian criteria'.

In addition, the government must be formed on the basis of a patriotic program that is agreed upon by the participants, as well as ensuring their involvement in decision making and formulating policies with regard to essential and important issues. 'This should be done without disregarding the outcome of elections or bypassing existing state bodies and circumventing their powers', he said.

Comrade Mufid al-Jazairy stressed that 'such a state cannot have more than one army, one police force, one judicial system .. etc. Any violation of this is unacceptable. The previous decision taken at the time of the Governing Council, by the Council itself, to disband all the militias must be implemented. Such militias must be dissolved and integrated with the armed forces on the basis of allegiance to the homeland, while rehabilitating any of its members who want to take up civilian jobs, or having them retired. There can be no real state with the existence of armed militias operating outside the armed forces of this state'.

From Tareeq Al-Shaab, the newspaper of the Iraqi Communist Pary.