MIDDLE EAST DAILY BULLETIN / GÜNLÜK ORTADOĞU BÜLTENİ 01 APRIL 2010 / 01 NİSAN 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS / İÇİNDEKİLER

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1 MIDDLE EAST DAILY BULLETIN / GÜNLÜK ORTADOĞU BÜLTENİ 01 APRIL 2010 / 01 NİSAN 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS / İÇİNDEKİLER 1. IRAQ / IRAK 2. IRAN / İRAN 3. ISRAEL PALESTINE / İSRAİL - FİLİSTİN 4. LEBANON / LÜBNAN 5. EGYPT / MISIR 6. SYRIA / SURİYE

2 1. IRAQ / IRAK An alliance of major Shi'ite parties that sidelines his election-winning cross-sectarian bloc could tip Iraq back into sectarian violence, former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said on Wednesday. Allawi, a secular Shi'ite, said a proposed merger to form a government between Prime Minister Nuri al-maliki's State of Law coalition and fellow Shi'ite bloc, the Iraqi National Alliance (INA), whose leaders have close ties to Iran, would effectively be a return to sectarian government. "This will cause a very severe and serious backlash in the country. It will take it to square one," Allawi told Reuters in an interview. "It will really be quite devastating." "Unfortunately, and God forbid, I can see violence, and maybe severe violence." Allawi rode strong support from Iraq's Sunni-dominated northern and western provinces to win a March 7 parliamentary election that he said showed the "true colours of Iraq" as a nonsectarian state. Maliki's State of Law bloc and the INA won in predominantly Shi'ite southern regions. The tight election could mean weeks of negotiations to form a government and highlighted the depth of Iraq's sectarian divisions. Iraqis hoped the election would produce stable government after years of sectarian warfare, as U.S. troops prepare to pull out by the end of next year. Allawi said he did not see a role for himself in a "sectarian" government dominated by the two Shi'ite coalitions, which he said would be unable to bring in Sunnis who supported him. "Sectarianism is something I stand against," he said. "I think the only solution is for Iraq to be secular. No other way." "HIJACK DEMOCRACY" Allawi said his political opponents were using unfair tactics to shove him aside as they tried to build a coalition to control a majority of Iraq's 325-seat parliament. Iraqiya won 91 seats to 89 for Maliki's State of Law and 70 for INA, a bloc dominated by anti-american cleric Moqtada al-sadr. He cited as an example a post-election attempt to disqualify six winning candidates for alleged ties to Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath Party. Allawi said all six were Iraqiya members, and he had heard there was a move afoot to eliminate 16 more. He said harassment of his coalition and its candidates had been growing since the vote results were announced on Friday. "This is a political issue. They want to get rid of their opponents. They want to undermine us," Allawi said "They want to

3 undermine the winner, and this is an unacceptable practice. It's not compatible with democracy. It's really a way to hijack democracy." Allawi, who was at one time highly critical of Shi'ite neighbour Iran for supporting Shi'ite militias fighting in Iraq, said Tehran also appeared to be trying to prevent him from becoming prime minister. NO INVITATION FROM TEHRAN He noted that leaders of other winning election blocs had travelled to Iran in recent days but Tehran did not extend its hand to Iraqiya. "We were surprised that we saw that other groups were invited to go there. We were not invited," he said. "This really cast a big shadow of doubt. Why did this happen? Why were we not invited?" Allawi said he was prepared to reach out to all of Iraq's neighbours, including Iran. "We have nothing against Iran. They had an objection (to me) in the old days but now they say they don't have," he said. Allawi insisted Iraqiya, as the coalition that won the most seats in parliament, should have the first chance to form a government. His position was cast into doubt by a court ruling requested by Maliki that seemed to favour his State of Law coalition. The ruling said the coalition with the most seats when parliament convenes should have first crack at the government, not necessarily the one with the most after the election. "I don't mind whether (I) become a prime minister or not," he said. "But what I mind is Iraqiya won." Asked if he would accept a lesser role, such as speaker of parliament, under a government led by the two major Shi'ite parties, Allawi did not discount it completely but said: "It's not a job which motivates me." (Reuters) Iraq's prime minister said on Wednesday that his party had formally appealed the results from the country's tight parliamentary elections, a move that could further delay the formation of a new government. Prime Minister Nuri al-maliki, whose State of Law coalition finished a close second in the March 7 poll, said the appeal to a three-judge electoral panel was needed to clear up doubts about the vote. Maliki's coalition is locked in merger talks with the faction of anti-u.s. cleric Moqtada al-sadr. A deal could make the combined group the largest bloc in parliament, sidelining former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, whose cross-sectarian Iraqiya group was the top vote-getter. "I want to point out that there was confusion in the election results," Maliki told a news conference. "We will wait to see what the legal and judicial institutions say about this issue. Everyone should be bound by the decision that will come from them," he said.

4 Maliki has complained repeatedly about what he says were irregularities with the vote. United Nations and other international observers say the elections were largely credible and fair. Allawi's Iraqiya finished first with 91 seats, ahead of State of Law with 89. Forming a government requires 163 seats. Iraqis had hoped the vote would stabilize the country after years of war, but the close result could lead to weeks or even months of difficult and potentially divisive talks to form a government. Sectarian violence exploded after the last parliamentary vote in 2005 as politicians took five months to agree a government. SADRIST REFERENDUM In a move to help decide who Sadr's group should back as next prime minister, the Iran-based cleric's faction said it would carry out a referendum with ordinary Iraqis on Friday and Saturday. The Sadrists, who are part of the Iraqi National Alliance (INA), oppose Maliki, who launched a crackdown on Sadr's Mehdi Army militia in State of Law officials said they had shown flexibility but he was still their only candidate. The voting would take place at Sadrist offices, at mosques or with mobile party teams, Sadr spokesman Salah al-ubaidi told a news conference. The ballots would have five names for the prime minister post -- Maliki and Mohammed Jaffar al-sadr from State of Law, INA figures Adel Abdul-Mahdi and former Prime Minister Ibrahim al-jaafari, and Allawi. A space would be left for writein candidates. Allawi may be weakened by a de-baathification panel's decision to bar six Iraqiya candidates who won seats. The committee ruled the six had links to the now-outlawed Baath Party of dictator Saddam Hussein. Iraq's election commission has received 62 complaints about the voting, the commission chairman, Faraj al-haidari, told Reuters. (Reuters) The Iraqi prime minister says he is not trying to change the results of the March 7 election by lodging complaints about the process. He says he simply wants to remove any suspicion over the race. Nouri al-maliki has vociferously challenged the election results, which gave his secular challenger, Ayad Allawi, a two-seat lead and possibly the first chance at forming a government. The prime minister has called for a recount of the votes. In a news conference Wednesday, al-maliki said his bloc has submitted

5 legal complaints and will abide by any decision made. He said the recount was not designed to remove or add seats to any list but to provide reassurances that the process was above suspicion. (AP) Charges of Iranian meddling, constitutional conflicts and bad blood between bitter rivals: obstacles blocking the formation of a new government have piled up in the aftermath of Iraq's general election. Little progress has been made in forming a government coalition in the more than three weeks since the March 7 poll, while negotiations between its main blocs have revealed key differences between the parties. Hopes for rapid results have dimmed as ex-premier Iyad Allawi's slim lead -- his bloc won 91 parliamentary seats, two more than Prime Minister Nuri al-maliki's -- has failed to give him a commanding negotiating position. On Tuesday, Allawi complained that Tehran was "interfering" in the political process to try to block his path by holding talks with all of Iraq's major political groups except his secular Iraqiya bloc. "Iran is interfering quite heavily and this is worrying," he told the BBC in an interview. Asked whether the Islamic republic wanted to stop him becoming prime minister, he replied: "I think so. They made it very clear... that they have a red line." Senior figures from Maliki's State of Law Alliance and other major Iraqi blocs have visited the Iranian capital since the polls, but no official from Iraqiya is known to have travelled to Tehran. But on Wednesday, Iran denied it was meddling in Iraqi politics although Tehran stood ready to help. Efforts by Iraqi parties "to form the next government are an internal matter, and they will obviously do that according to their electoral plans and without taking into account foreign interests," its foreign ministry said. "Iran does not interfere in this," its foreign ministry spokesman told state radio, while adding Tehran was ready to "host Iraqi political movements to help with the formation of the new government as soon as possible." In Baghdad, both Allawi and Maliki are seeking to assemble coalitions with the 163 seats necessary to secure a majority in parliament and form a government. They have each met with the Iraqi National Alliance (INA), a bloc led by Shiite religious groups, and Kurdistania, made up of the autonomous Kurdish region's two long-dominant blocs, which have 70 seats and 43 seats, respectively. Those negotiations, while thus far largely unsuccessful, have illustrated crucial differences between Iraq's main political groupings, at least two of which must close ranks to form a government.

6 While State of Law and the INA share sectarian common ground -- both are Shiitedominated parties -- any potential partnership is being held up by radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-sadr's movement, which has emerged as the INA's most powerful faction. Maliki ordered an assault on Sadr's Mahdi Army militia in Baghdad and Basra in 2008, and relations between him and the Sadrist bloc, which holds more than half of the INA's seats, remain poor. The Sadrist movement has pledged to hold a referendum on Friday to gauge support levels among its supporters for would-be prime ministers, including Maliki and Allawi. Bad blood also remains between the leaders of Iraq's two biggest blocs. While Allawi and Maliki, as self-styled nationalists, agree on war-battered Iraq's need for a strong central government, they would both want the top job for themselves if they were to form an alliance. Last Saturday, Allawi confirmed Iraqiya officials had had a "dialogue" with Maliki's bloc, but without any "real reconciliation." Since then, Allawi's appointed coalition negotiator, a Sunni Arab deputy prime minister, Rafa al-essawi, has held his own talks with Maliki, though no results have been made public. Allawi has also said that a blacklist of candidates allegedly linked to former dictator Saddam Hussein's Baath party, including several from his Iraqiya list, had harmed relations with Maliki. Also complicating efforts to build a coalition was a ruling by Iraq's supreme court last week that questions Iraqiya's right to have the first shot at forming a coalition as the party which emerged with the most seats. The court referred to a clause in the constitution stating that the largest parliamentary bloc could be any new coalition formed after the poll. Followers of Moktada al-sadr, the militant cleric whose militia was a major force in the Shiite insurgency against American forces, announced Wednesday that they were arranging a special vote to pick Iraq s next prime minister. Mr. Sadr, who has been living in Iran, released a statement through his political office in Iraq that called for putting the choice of prime minister into the hands of the Iraqi public through a referendum for all Iraqi people. The move appeared to be part political gimmick and part public relations masterstroke. The referendum would have no legal authority, but would continue the political maturing of a movement that moved away from violence, embraced the democratic process, and solidified its political force in the March 7 parliamentary election. The group won as many as 40 of the 325 seats, possibly pushing it past Kurdish groups in talks on forming a government. At a news conference on Wednesday morning at the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad, several representatives of

7 Mr. Sadr s political movement announced that they would hold the referendum on Friday and Saturday to choose among five candidates for prime minister or write in a candidate. The group has already printed ballots. The five are Ayad Allawi, the former interim prime minister whose Iraqiya coalition won the most seats in the recent election; the current prime minister, Nuri Kamal al- Maliki; a former prime minister, Ibrahim al-jaafari; Vice President Adel Abdul Mahdi; and Muhammad Jaffar al-sadr, a newcomer to electoral politics here who ran on Mr. Maliki s ticket. He is the son of Muhammad Baqr al-sadr, a revered ayatollah who was assassinated 30 years ago, a founder of the Islamic political movement in Iraq and an uncle of Moktada al-sadr. Sheik Salah al-obedi, a Sadrist spokesman, said the organization would set up tents across Iraq s provinces to poll citizens. The Sadrists will also send teams to knock on doors and conduct polls, he said. The group said it would agree to support the winner. This referendum is not exclusively for Sadrists followers, Mr. Obedi said. On the contrary, it s for all the Iraqis to participate in. Still, given Iraq s sectarian divisions, it is seen as more likely that only followers of Mr. Sadr would participate. The move is similar to a poll the Sadrist movement conducted before the elections to choose candidates for Parliament. While the Sadrists may directly claim 40 seats, their broader coalition, the Iraqi National Alliance, won 70 seats. Iraqiya, a coalition headed by Mr. Allawi, won the election with 91 seats. Mr. Maliki s State of Law group came in second with 89 seats. With none winning a mandate, negotiations that could take months are under way to cobble together a majority of Iraq s 325 seats in Parliament. The Sadrists have held discussions with Mr. Maliki s group, but they seem unlikely to form a coalition if it means another term for Mr. Maliki, who ordered military operations against Mr. Sadr s Mahdi Army in 2007 and In that light, the referendum could be a Sadrist effort to gain more political leverage in talks on forming a government. It could be a political stand in the negotiations for the next government, or an excuse to say that the Sadr movement can t accept Maliki since the public doesn t want him, said Hazim al-nuami, a political analyst. Bahaa al-araji, a Sadrist member of Parliament who won re-election, said the Iraqi National Alliance had begun talks with State of Law, Iraqiya and the Kurdish parties. He said that serious negotiations would not start for several weeks and that an alliance between the Iraqi National Alliance and State of Law was likeliest, since they are both Shiite parties and were once under the same political umbrella. But that doesn t mean that a joining of the two alliances will take place without conditions or demands, Mr. Araji said. (Al Jazeera)

8 The UN Security Council has called on all Iraqi political parties "to respect the certified election results and the choices of the Iraqi people". The council also urged the country's political leaders "to avoid inflammatory rhetoric and actions". As the council issued its non-binding statement on Wednesday, political manoeuvring intensified following last Friday's release of final election results that gave a coalition led by Iyad Allawi, a secular Shia former prime minister who drew on strong Sunni support, two seats more than a bloc led by Nouri al-maliki, the prime minister. Al- Maliki has called for a full manual recount and his bloc has submitted legal complaints, but Iraq's election commission dismissed those calls, saying there had been no evidence of serious electoral fraud. The security council congratulated the people and government of Iraq for holding a "successful election" and welcomed Friday's announcement of the provisional results by the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), saying it looked forward to certification by the Iraq's supreme court. Security council members noted the findings of international and independent Iraqi observers "who affirmed their confidence in the overall integrity of the election". "The members of the security council look forward to the formation of the new government in a spirit of cooperation and respect for national unity," it said in a statement. Iran denies 'interference' In Baghdad, both Allawi and al-maliki are seeking to assemble coalitions to get the 163 seats necessary to secure a majority in parliament and form a government. Allawi was dealt a blow this week when the Justice and Accountability Commission said six members of his Iraqiya bloc should not have been allowed to stand in the polls. The commission, charged with preventing former members of Saddam Hussein's banned Baath party from returning to public life, said it would appeal to the IHEC to have the six barred from parliament. Allawi also complained this week that Tehran was "interfering" in the political process to try to block his path by holding talks with all of Iraq's major political groups except his secular Iraqiya bloc. Senior figures from al-maliki's State of Law Alliance and other major Iraqi blocs have visited the Iranian capital since the polls, but no official from Iraqiya is known to have travelled to Tehran. Iran denied it was meddling in Iraqi politics, with a foreign ministry spokesman telling state radio on Wednesday that efforts by Iraqi parties "to form the next government

9 are an internal matter, and they will obviously do that according to their electoral plans and without taking into account foreign interests". "Iran does not interfere in this," he said, but added that Tehran was ready to "host Iraqi political movements to help with the formation of the new government as soon as possible". Whether Allawi or al-maliki gets to be prime minister could hinge on a referendum planned by Shia cleric Muqtada al-sadr's movement. Al-Sadr's movement emerged from the polls as the most powerful faction in the INA bloc that could help form a coalition government and Friday's referendum is to gauge support levels among its supporters for would-be prime ministers, including al-maliki and Allawi. (Al Jazeera) Iraq is not controlled by a certain community and dialogue should be based on democracy not personal interest, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki affirmed. In a press conference held here on Wednesday with member of his State of Law List, Al- Maliki said that dialogue should end with a common vision, not the negative what he called "red and yellow lines". Al-Maliki stressed that "real partner" upholds dialogue. "Supreme posts," he said is not monopolized to certain segment of the community, and it is a right of every Iraqi person. Al-Maliki said the to-be-formed government should be based on national consensus with the respect of the other's opinion. He said the recount of vote was not meant to remove or add seats to any list but to provide reassurances to the Iraqi people that the process was above suspicion. Judicial and legal institutions will call the race off, and the results will be finalized with no exceptions. The Iraqi official called for a development of the state, and not turning back to the old days of national trenching. For Iraq, further steps need to be taken, rather than the old "black pages," Al-Maliki expressed, as it should not be isolated from its Arabian surrounding. Yet Iraq is to be treated as a vital country and not to be "on the sideline." He then called for a quick formation of the government due to the fact that "political stability" is much needed. Democracy was protrayed by the March 7 elections, and the International forum views Iraq as a democratic country with stable institutions, he added. He then warned those trying to segregate, and he called for a strong national unity. (KUNA) Dubai Al-Arabiyah Television in Arabic at 1604 GMT on 30 March carries a 24-minute interview with Iyad Allawi, head of the Iraqi List and former prime minister, by Tariq Mahir. Asked what he meant by "mutual interests with Iran" when he said in statements reported by news agencies that "relations with Iran and any other country are based on mutual interests and on commercial and cultural cooperation," Allawi says: "This answer is not complete. I mean it was not published in full. I said Iraq's foreign policy toward Iran and other countries is governed by two main

10 principles. The first is trade, cultural, economic and other mutual interests. The second is sovereignty and respect for sovereignty and noninterference in internal affairs. Moreover, I clearly said we have to discuss outstanding issues between Iraq and each of Iran, Kuwait, Turkey, and other neighboring countries with the aim of holding objective dialogue to settle these issues and create a good atmosphere for cooperation." Asked if this was a message to President Talabani and Vice President Adil Abd-al- Mahdi, who are "currently visiting Iran," Allawi says: "No, it is not at all a message to them. This was my answer to a question on relations between Iraq and Iran. His Excellency President Talabani is, of course, most capable of diagnosing things with regard to his visit to Iran. He enjoys the confidence and respect of all Iraqi parties. The same applies to Vice President Adil Abd-al-Mahdi. They themselves decide where to go and who to visit." He adds: "Iraq's foreign policy should be built on the principles I have mentioned. There should be no hesitation, fear, or worry." He then says Iraq needs to establish "balanced relations" because "the security of the region is linked to Iraq's security and stability." When told that his rivals in other lists say the Iraqi List will break up after the elections "due to dispute over positions," he says: "First, I would like to say that the Iraqi List is strongly united. Second, the Iraqi List has a national Iraqi plan. It was this plan which brought together the political forces and national figures who joined the Iraqi List. Third, and as Vice President Tariq al-hashimi said, the Iraqi List has efficient people who can run the country and take advance positions in the administrative, executive, and legislative authorities of this country." He notes that this is what perhaps "distinguished" the Iraqi List from many other lists. He then says some candidates from other lists that won in the elections have asked to join or cooperate with the Iraqi List. Asked who these are, he says they include Shaykh Ahmad Abu- Rishah, who said "we want to be allied with the Iraqi List." Allawi adds: "Dialogue will begin. The Iraqi List leadership has asked brother Rafi al-isawi to lead the negotiation effort. As you know, the constitution says the list that wins will be tasked with the job of forming the government." The interviewer asks him: "What do you think if the federal court's clarification of this issue, which is still vague? Will the bloc that won in the elections or the largest bloc or alliance that is formed in parliament form the government?" Responding, Allawi says: "As you know, there are many gaps in the constitution and some points in the constitution need to be clarified. However, the constitution clearly says that the list which wins most votes is the one to be tasked with the formation of the government." He adds: "During the past two elections, the biggest winning list

11 was the one which formed the government. If another interpretation is made, God forbid, a big question will be asked about the reason for this shift in interpreting the provisions of the constitution and law. Is this change -- if it happens -- due to the fact that the Iraqi List has won? I think this issue is sensitive, critical, and serious. Therefore, it should be discussed calmly without making hasty decisions. We have to take into account the history of the democratic process and what was adopted. The policies adopted should not be replaced by other new ones." When told that Prime Minister Al-Maliki said he continues his efforts to form the largest parliamentary bloc with others who can join him, and "this means they explain the constitutional clauses contrary to what you say," Allawi says: "We, of course, respect the opinion of his Excellency the prime minister. This is his opinion, but I think they can form a list to withhold confidence in the government that is formed. I think there are two separate issues here. One is that the winning bloc is the bloc that has won the elections. It was officially announced that the Iraqi List won. This issue is separate from the issue of giving or withholding confidence in the government that is formed by the winning bloc. This is another issue. His Excellency brother Al-Maliki is perhaps talking about this issue. I do not think that the criteria and balances will be reversed. He is a prime minister and a responsible person at the helm of power in Iraq. Therefore, I do not at all think he will relinquish constitutional and legal issues in this manner." Asked about the reason behind this "dual interpretation" of the constitution, he says: "First, the problem is that the constitution was written hastily. Second, the constitution has paragraphs that should have been legally interpreted. There are 56 or 62 such paragraphs. I forgot the exact number. Clear laws should have been issued about them but this did not happen. Third, some paragraphs of the constitution are not clear. For example, there is no Council of Representatives now and, therefore, there is no scrutiny during this transitional period. Therefore, there is a constitutional and legal vacuum. There is a president and there is a prime minister, but there is no legislative authority. There is no legislative authority to watch over the government. The Council of Representatives' term is over. We and others who wrote the Iraqi constitution should have paid attention to this issue because such a vacuum may lead to undesired things, God forbid." Asked who makes decisions in the Iraqi List, which consists of 22 political entities, Allawi says: "The 22 political entities are the ones that make decisions at a general meeting. A number of the brothers are in charge of handling the daily executive affairs of the list in the form of following up things and making decisions. The strategic decisions, however, are made by representatives of the 22 entities and these make up the leadership of the Iraqi List."

12 Asked if there is an Iranian veto on his assumption of the post of prime minister in Iraq, Allawi says: "Frankly, I do not know but I do not think so. We are not advocates of war with Iran and we do not want to create tension with Iran. On the contrary, we want to establish sovereign, constructive, and objective relations with it away from interference. We do not want Iraq to interfere in Iranian affairs and we do not Iran to interfere in Iraqi affairs. Also we do not want Iraq to be a theater for operations against Iran nor want Iran to be a theater for operations against Iraq." He adds that "since Iran is Islamic in orientation, it might prefer Islamic rather than religiously politicized forces" in Iraq, adding that "there is a realization now that all should coexist and avoid interfering in each others affairs." He then says: "We should try to turn the elements of tension into elements of stability through economic and trade balance and creation of joint interests. When joint interests are created, all sides will hesitate to strain the atmosphere. This is really the policy and conviction of the Iraqi List on the way to move forward." When told that his list won votes in governorates that did not participate in the previous parliamentary elections like Al-Anbar, Salah al-din, and Mosul, and that his political competitors say he represents the Sunni voters, Allawi laughs and says: "I take pride in three things that I consider honorable. The first is my confrontation of the former dictatorial regime in Iraq as a student at the school of medicine. I did so for three decades. The second is that I held and supervised the first fair and balanced democratic elections in Iraq without the occurrence of any security problem. I handed authority over very willingly, clearly, and transparently without insisting on staying in government. I refused to postpone the elections despite all the calls made to this effect. The third is that I confronted and contributed to ending political sectarianism in Iraq. Therefore, I was elected in the Shiite, Sunni, and Christian areas. This is a source of pride for me and a sign of the Iraqi people's awareness. Some governorates unanimously voted for a patriotic Iraqi person who has a national rather than sectarian background. This is a source of pride for Iraq and its people. These elections are a medal of honor for the Iraqis. They provide clear evidence to the whole world that the Iraqi people reject political sectarianism." Responding to accusations that his list has Ba'thists in it, he says: "There are no Ba'thist figures in the Iraqi List. Upon looking at the historical background of its leaders, you will see none at all, contrary to other lists in which there are Ba'thists." When told that Zafir al-ani is accused of being a Ba'thist, he denies that and says these are "false accusations." He adds that Adnan al-janabi was also accused of being a Ba'thist although he was a communist at that time and had nothing to do with the Ba'th Party. He also says Tariq al-hashimi, Rafi al-isawi, and Shaykh Husayn al-sha'lan, who are leaders in the Iraqi List, have nothing to do with the Ba'th Party. He repeats

13 that "these are false and baseless accusations" aimed at "toppling political opponents." Responding to a question on whether he is a Ba'thist, he says he was a Ba'thist who participated in the 1968 coup but differed with some Ba'th Party leaders in 1969 and left Iraq in He adds that his relationship with the Ba'th Party ended at that time, after which he initiated the establishment of groups opposed to the Iraqi regime in 1973 and He notes that attempts were made on his life and one of them kept him in hospital for about one and a half years. Concluding, he says: "We do not accept false accusations against anyone under the name of the Ba'th Party or other parties. Second, a person should not be considered guilty simply because of what he believed in or because he was forced to join the Ba'th Party. This is unacceptable. You cannot punish the educational staff in Iraq, for example, because they were forced to join the Ba'th Party." He adds that those who committed crimes can be sent to court for punishment. (KUNA) An Egyptian radio commentary by Muhammad Abd-al-Basir on 31 March urged Iraqi political blocs not to allow the interference of Iran in forming the upcoming government, especially after Iyad Allawi of the Al-Iraqiyah List said that "Tehran plans to bar him from leading the government". "The election process in Iraq showed that the Iraqis despise sectarianism, ethnicity and external support," the radio said. "Bringing Tehran [into the Iraqi scene] will increase divisions and sectarianism," the radio added. "It is illogical that the meetings of wining Iraqi political blocs in Tehran outnumber those which take place in Baghdad," the radio said. "All political blocs are requested to resolve the Iraqi issue inside Iraq," it said. The radio also called on the Iraqi politicians to take into consideration the consequences of the Iranian-Western standoff and how this might affect Iraq. "Both sectarianism and seeking external support have only extended the existence of foreign forces inside Iraq and exacerbated violence," the radio concluded. (Arab Republic of Egypt Radio General Service) President of Iraq's Kurdistan region Massoud al-barazani has met with the top U.S. commander in Iraq to discuss the obstacles to the political process in Iraq, an official statement said on Wednesday. "On Wednesday, Barazani received Gen. Raymond Odierno and the Iraqi Chief of Staff, Gen. Babikr Zebari," according to the statement that was received by Aswat al-iraq news agency. The meeting has tackled the most recent developments on the political scene and the obstacles to the progress of the political process in the country, the statement pointed out. (Aswat al-iraq)

14 Irak ta 7 Mart ta yapılan parlamento seçimlerine aday olan 801 kadından yalnızca 20 si parlamentoya giriş için yeterli oy elde etti. Yüzde 25 lik kotanın dolması için 62 kadın da oy oranı daha az olan erkeklerin yerine geçecek. Irak ta parlamento seçimlerinin sonuçlar 26 Mart günü açıklandı. Seçimlere 6 bin 100 aday ve 289 siyasi grup katıldı ancak sadece 9 siyasi grup parlamentoda temsile sahip olabildi. Yüksek Seçim Komisyonu nun açıkladığı sonuçlara göre eski laik Başbakan Iyad Allawi nin Irakiye listesi birinci olurken, Şii Başbakan Nuri El Maliki nin listesi ikinci, dini Şii partilerin bir araya geldiği bir koalisyon üçüncü oldu. Kürtler de seçimlerin dördüncü grubu olarak parlamentoda yer edindi. Yoğun hile yaşandığına dair iddialar olsa da BM ve ABD nin bu tepkileri görmezden gelerek, taraflara seçim sonuçlarını kabul etmesi çağrıda bulundu. Bu seçimlerde kadınlar da kendilerine ayrılan kotayı doldurmayı başaramadı. Seçim Komisyonu sadece 20 kadının sandalye elde etmek için yeterli oy çoğunluğuna sahip olduğunu bildirdi. Irak seçim kanununa göre kadınlara parlamentoda yüzde 25 kota ayrılıyor. 325 sandalyeli parlamentoda bu oran 82 kadına denk geliyor. Bu nedenle geri kalan 62 kadın aday da parlamentoya girmeyi başaran ancak oy oranı daha az olan erkeklerin yerine geçecek. (ANF) Irak'ta 7 Mart seçimlerin ardından ortaya çıkan tablo dengeleri değiştirdi. Iyad Allavi ve Maliki'nin neredeyse başa baş milletvekili çıkarması gözleri hükümetin nasıl şekilleneceğine çevirdi. Amerikan işgaline sert tepki verenlerden Mukteda El Sadr'ın 70 milletvekilliği kazanarak güçlenmesi ise Amerika'ya ağır bir darbe olarak değerlendirildi. Irak'ta Amerikan işgalinin gölgesinde yapılan seçimler ülkedeki dengeleri önemli ölçüde değiştirdi. Şimdi gözler kurulacak hükümete çevrildi. Iyad Allavi liderliğindeki Irakiye koalisyonu 91 milletvekili çıkararak seçimleri önde tamamladı. Allavi en yakın rakibi Maliki'den sadece iki milletvekiliği daha fazla kazanabildi. Allavi ve Maliki'nin başa baş milletvekiliği kazanması hükümet kurma çalışmalarına da yansıyacak. Eski Başbakan Iyad Allavi, laik ve Irak'ın bütünlüğünden yana olarak nitelendiriliyor. Ancak Amerikan politikalarına yakın bir duruş sergiliyor. Buna karşılık, Allavi, Irak'ın içişlerine müdahale edilmesine izin vermeyeceklerini de vurguladı. Sünni Arap seçmenin desteği Allavi'nin seçim başarısında önemli bir rol oynadı. Allavi yaptığı açıklamada geniş katılımlı ulusal bir hükümet kurmak istediklerini söyledi. Başbakan Nuri El Maliki nin ise Irak'ın birliğini savunan politikalar izlemesi ve Amerikan askerlerinin Irak'tan çekilmesi için çaba sarfetmesi halkın desteğini

15 almasında etkili oldu. Seçimler Talabani-Barzani ittifakı açısından hayal kırıklığı oldu genel seçimlerinde 58 milletvekili çıkaran Talabani-Barzani ittifakı 7 Mart seçimlerinde 42 milletvekiliği kazanabildi. İttifakın oyu oransal olarak da azalmış durumda. Irak Meclisi'nin 275 olan sandalye sayısı bu seçimle 325 çıktı. Talabani Barzani ittifakı asıl şoku ise Kerkük'te yaşadı. Amerikan işgali ile birlikte Kürt nüfusu Kerkük'e yerleştirmesine rağmen Türkmenlerle ittifak yapan Irakiye koalisyonu Kürt ittifakına yaklaşık 4 bin oy fark attı. Irakiye koalisyonunun Kerkük'te kazandığı 6 milletvekilliğinden 2'si Türkmen. Bu sonuçlar Kerkük'ü kukla devletin himayesine alma girişimlerine de önemli bir darbe vurdu. Irak'taki seçimlerde Amerikan işgaline ve politikalarına sert tepki veren Mukteda El Sadr'ın 70 milletvekliiği kazanması ve seçimlerde daha da güçlenmesi Washington'a ağır bir darbe olarak nitelendirildi. Sadr ın liderliğindeki Irak Milli İttifakı, hükümet oluşumunda belirleyici bir role sahip oldu. Dışişleri Bakanı Ahmet Davutoğlu dün İstanbul'da bir araya geldiği Irak Kürdistan Demokratik Partisi (IKDP) Başkan Yardımcısı Neçirvan Barzani ile Irak'taki seçim sonrası dönemi ele aldı. Çırağan Sarayı'nda akşam gerçekleşen görüşme öncesi basına konuşan Davutoğlu, ekim ayında Irak'ın kuzeyine yaptığı ziyarette aldıkları karar uyarınca ikili görüşmeleri yoğunlaştırdıklarını belirtti. Irak'ta seçim sonrası oluşacak tablo başta olmak üzere çeşitli gelişmeleri Barzani ile ele alacaklarını dile getiren Bakan, Kuzey Irak'ı ülkenin bütününe açılan bir kapı olarak değerlendirdiklerini söyledi. Davutoğlu, teröre karşı ortak mücadelenin de görüşecekleri konular arasında olduğunu kaydetti. Irak Bölgesel Kürt Hükümeti'nin eski Başbakanı olan Barzani de Davutoğlu'nun Erbil'e yaptığı geziyi 'tarihi' olarak nitelendirerek, Türkiye'de bulunmaktan tarifsiz bir mutluluk duyduğunu söyledi. "Türkiye'nin güvenliği kendi güvenliğimizdir." diyen Barzani, topraklarını başka bir ülkeye saldırı için kimsenin kullanmasına izin vermeyeceklerinin altını çizdi. Irak'ın kuzeyindeki bölgesel yönetimin gelecekteki lideri olarak görülen Barzani bugün de Ankara'da Başbakan Recep Tayyip Erdoğan tarafından kabul edilecek. (ZAMAN) ABD ordusu, 2003'te girdiği Irak'ta, bugünlerde tarihin en büyük geri çekilme operasyonlarından birini yürütüyor. 7 yıl içinde Irak'a tanktan kürdana yaklaşık bir milyon tonluk malzeme gönderen ABD'nin Irak'tan çekilmesi tam 150 milyar dolara mal olacak. Ordu lojistik birimi yetkilisi Anthony Potenzone, "Gerçi çekilme çok zahmetli ve uzun zaman alacak bir iş. Üslerdeki malzemelerin Kuveyt ve Amman

16 limanlarından nakledilmesi için her gün yaklaşık 4 bin 500 TIR çalışıyor" dedi. Öte yandan başta mobilyalar olmak üzere komutanlar üs başına en fazla 30 milyon dolarlık malzemeyi geride bırakabiliyor. (AA) Irak Seçim Komisyonu, KDP ve YNK ittifakı olarak Kürdistan Listesi'nin Hewler'de 10, Duhok'ta 9, Süleymaniye'de 8, Kerkük'te 6, Musul'da 8 ve Diyala'da 1 parlamenter çıkardığını duyurdu. Kürdistan Listesi toplam 42 parlamenterle Kürt listeleri arasında en fazla parlamentere sahip liste oldu yazında yapılan yerel seçimlerde Kürt bölgesinde yaptığı sürpriz çıkışla dikkatleri üstüne çeken Goran Listesi ise Hewler'de 2, Süleymaniye'de 6 parlamenter çıkararak, toplamda 8 sandalye kazandı. Yekgirti İslami Listesi de Süleymaniye'de 2, Hewler ve Duhok'ta 1'er olmak üzere toplam 4 parlamenter çıkarırken, Komelen İslam Listesi ise Hewler ve Süleymaniye'de 1'er olmak üzere toplam 2 parlamenter çıkardı. Bu sonuçlara göre Kürtlerin 4 listeyle Irak Parlamentosu'ndaki toplam temsil düzeyi 56 sandalye olacak. Bu sonuçlar ışığında Kürtlerin Irak parlamento seçimlerindeki durumunu değerlendirmeye çalışacağız. Irak'taki seçimlerde en büyük hayal kırıklığı Kürt cephesinde yaşanıyor. Kürdistan Listesi'nin önceki seçime oranla Irak Parlamentosu'nda daha az sandalye elde etmesi, Musul'da hezimet düzeyinde ve Kerkük'te ise Kürtlerin iddialarının aksine sonuçların ortaya çıkması, yine Kürt cephesinde muhalefet gücü olarak ortaya çıkanların beklentilere yanıt olamaması gibi faktörlerin hayal kırıklığının yaşanmasında etkili olduğu gözleniyor. Kürtlerin 2005'teki seçimlerde elde ettiği sandalye sayısı 58 idi. Üstelik 275 sandalyeli parlamentoda... Ancak 325 sandalyeli parlamentoda son seçimlerde elde edilen sandalye sayısı (4 ayrı listenin toplam sayısı olarak) Denilebilir ki, bu oranın azlığı Kürtlerin nüfus oranı ve Irak seçim yasasında sonradan yapılan değişikliklerle ilgisi vardır. Doğru; nüfus oranı ve üstelik Kürt seçmeni hedef alan liste sayısındaki artışın sandalye sayısının az olmasında etkili olduğu söylenebilir. Örneğin Irak Parlamentosu'ndaki sandalye sayısının artışına paralel olarak Kürt bölgesinde milletvekili sayısında artışa gidilmedi. Ancak gerçek, bu hesaplardan çok daha farklı... Kürt bölgesinde çıkabilecek en fazla milletvekili sayısı bu kadardı. Üstelik bu sonuçlar, Irak'ın geri kalan kısımlarıyla değerlendirildiğinde bu gerçek daha iyi görülebilir. Basra'da, Bağdat'ta bir seçim hilesinden söz edilebilir ve bunun gerçekten de güçlü zeminleri vardır. Maliki ile Allawi arasındaki seçim gerilimi bu kapsamda ele alınabilir. Ancak Dohuk ya da Hewler'deki bir hile Bağdat'takine benzemez; çünkü eğer bir hile varsa bu demektir ki, Kürdistan Listesi'nin muhalifleri bunu yapar. Ancak en güçlü muhalefet listesi olan Goran'ın sandalye sayısı belli. Goran Listesi'nin 8 sandalyesini

17 YNK ve KDP'nin Kürdistan Listesi'ne dahil ederseniz bile ortaya çıkacak sonuç bir başarıyı ifade etmez. Dolayısıyla Dohuk, Hewler ve Süleymaniye'de ortaya çıkacak sonuç bu kadar olur... Kürt listelerinin asıl başarısızlığı Kürt bölgesinin statüleri hala belirsizliğini koruyan eyaletleriyle ilgili... Musul, Kerkük, Xaneqin, Diyala gibi eyaletler bu açıdan dikkat çekiyor. Kürt listelerinin Xaneqin'de hiçbir varlık göstermemesi, Diyala'da sadece 1 parlamenter çıkarması, Musul'da 8 sandalyeyle yetinerek hezimet yaşamaları, 'Kürdistan kalbi' dedikleri Kerkük'te ancak yarı oranında sandalye sayısı kazanmaları... Bütün bu hususlar Kürtlerin Irak'taki politik sınırlarını ve etkinlik derecelerini gösteriyor. Üstelik ortaya çıkan sonuçlar, Kürtlerin Musul'a ilişkin iddialarını büyük oranda kaybettiklerine, Kerkük konusunda ise ciddi bir belirsizliğe düştüklerine işaret ediyor. Bu da Kürtlerin Kerkük'te ısrarla istedikleri referandumun iyice belirsizliğe erteleneceği yorumlarına neden oluyor. Kürtlerin seçimde Kerkük'te adeta şov yapacakları, böylece seçim sonuçlarını bir tür referandum gibi değerlendirecekleri yönündeki tutumları bu yorumu haklı çıkarıyor. Çünkü beklentileri olmadı... Öte yandan geçen yaz Kürt bölgesindeki parlamento seçimlerinde KDP ve YNK karşıtı değişim söylemini kullanarak büyük bir sürpriz yapan ve YNK'nin kalesi olarak bilinen Süleymaniye başta olmak üzere birçok yerde önemli sonuçlar elde eden Goran Listesi de adeta bir hayal kırıklığı yaşattı. Aradan daha bir yıl bile geçmeden Goran Listesi'nin sadece Süleymaniye'de sınırlı bir varlık göstermesi, Kürt bölgesinin geriye kalan kısmında ise sönüp gitmesi, etkili bir muhalefetin hala gelişmediğinin işareti olarak değerlendiriliyor. KDP ve YNK'nin Kürdistan Listesi'nin seçimdeki başarısızlığı, öte yandan alternatif olarak ortaya çıkan diğer 3 listenin de ciddi bir varlık göstermemesi, aynı zamanda Kürt bölgesinde gerçek bir demokrasi gücüne ihtiyaç duyulduğunu da açığa çıkarıyor. Bu arada şunu eklemekte de fayda var: Kürtlerin elde ettiği sonuçlar, Irak'taki federal statüleri ve güç dengeleri kapsamında her halükarda işe yarayacak; ancak Kürtlerin Irak'taki iddiaları ve siyaset argümanları konusunda ise ellerini zayıflattığı da kesin. Belki kurulacak bir hükümet için gerek Allawi'nin gerekse de Maliki'nin ilk olarak kapılarını çalacakları güç Kürtler olacak; ama Kürtlerin bunun karşılığında yapacakları pazarlık, Kürt bölgesinde de konuşulduğu gibi, en fazla Talabani'nin tekrar Irak Cumhurbaşkanı olması düzeyinde olur. Mesela Kerkük konusunda ciddi bir pazarlık yapamazlar, çünkü pazarlık güçleri büyük darbe almış durumda. (ANF) Federal Kürdistan Bölgesi hükümetinin Irak seçimlerinin ardından Musul'da başarı sağlayan ve Kürt karşıtlığı ile bilinen Hedba Partisi ile görüşmeye başlayacağı öğrenildi. 7 Martta yapılan Irak seçimleri ardından Kerkük ve Musul üzerinden

18 yürütülen pazarlıklar hız kazanırken ABD ve Türkiye'nin de bu amaçla girişimlerini yoğunlaştırdığı öğrenildi. Edinilen bilgilere göre, ABD ve Türkiye'nin girişimleri sonucu eski Baasçılar ve Baasçılarla hareket eden Musul'daki Zebari aşireti tarafından kurulan Hedba partisi, Musul'un artık bir statüye kavuşturulması ısrarını çözmek için girişimlerini hızlandırdı. Musul'daki en güçlü parti konumunda olan Hedba, Musul'daki Zebari aşireti ve eski Baasçıların ortak partisi olarak biliniyor. Aynı zamanda Saddamın korucuları (cashları) olarak KDP ve YNK'ye karşı Hedba Partisi çalışanları son seçimlerde ise Eyad Allawi'nin El Irakiye listesi ile ittifak yaparak, bu listenin Musul'da 20 parlamenter çıkarmasını sağladı. Siyasi gözlemciler seçimlerde başarı sağlayan El Irakiye ve Hedba Partisi, sağladıkları bu başarıyı siyasi sonuçlara dönüştürmek istediklerini ifade ediyorlar. Bu koalisyona karşı Kürtlerin 8 parlamenter çıkarmakla sınırlı kalması, El Irakiye ve Hedba partisinin elini güçlendiren bir diğer etken olarak yorumlanıyor. Ortaya çıkan bu sonucun ABD ve Türkiye'nin yeni Irak stratejisinin uygulanmasına dönük zemini güçlendirdiği vurgulanıyor. ABD ve Türkiye bu zemine dayanarak Hedba partisini Musul özgünlüğünde Federal Kürdistan yerel hükümeti ile muhatap haline getirdiği ifade ediliyor. Nitekim 29 Martta Kürt yerel hükümet ile Hedba partisinin yetkilileri İstanbul'da bir araya getirildi. Toplantının bugün de süreceği tahmin ediliyor. Alınan bilgilere göre Musul ardından Kerkük üzerinde de aynı yöntemin uygulanacağı belirtiliyor. Kerkük'te Kürdistan ittifak listesi ve El Irakiye listesi 6 parlamenter çıkararak birbirlerine üstünlük sağlayamamışlardı. Aynı zamanda El Irakiye listesi içerisinde aday gösterilen Türmen Cephesinin iki adayı da parlamento vizesini almıştı. Ortaya çıkan bu siyasal durum Kerkük statüsünün Kürtler aleyhinde düzenlenmesinde kullanılacağı iddiaları ciddi bir boyut kazandı. (ANP) Irak'ta seçim sonuçları yarı sürpriz yarı beklenen şekilde sonuçlandı. Eski Başbakan İyad Allavi'nin laik listesi El Irakiye'nin çok az farkla da olsa ilk sırada çıkması seçimin minik sürprizi sayılabilir. Başbakan Nuri el Maliki'yi iki sandalye farkla geçen Allavi listesi, Irak'ın geleceği açısından önemli. Çünkü Allavi'nin tüm grupları içinde barındıran listesi tek bir mezhebe ve etnik gruba dayanmıyor, mezhep temelli politika yapmıyor. Şiiler, Sünniler ve Türkmenlerin bir kısmı da bu listeden seçimlere girdi. ABD ve açıktan olmasa da Türkiye tarafından da desteklenen Allavi, 91 sandalye ile tek başına hükümeti kuramıyor ama başbakanlığı garantilemiş durumda.

19 Sürpriz olmayan durum ise kimsenin hükümeti tek başına kuramayacak olması. İkili ya da üçlü koalisyon ihtimali yüksek. Bu yüzden Irak'taki siyasi denklem yine ince hesaplar üzerine kurulacak. (Mete Çubukçu- NTV) 2. IRAN / İRAN İran İslam cumhuriyeti istihbarat bakanı Haydar Moslehi, yaptığı açıklamada İranlı diplomatın kurtarılmasının CIA ve MOSSAD'ı çıkmaza soktuğunu belirtti. Haydar Moslehi dün yaptığı açıklamada CIA ve MOSSAD'ın Pakistan'ın Pişaver kentinde İranlı diplomat Haşmetullah Attarzade Niyaki'yi kaçıran güruha verdikleri tüm desteklere rağmen, İran istihbarat güçlerinin, hiçbir fidye vermeksizin İranlı diplomatı kurtararak İran'a geri getirdiklerini belirtti. İran istihbarat bakanı Haydar Moslehi Amerika liderliğindeki sömürgeci güçlerin boş bahanelerle Ortadoğu'da varlık sürdürerek güvensiz ortamın yayılmasında etkili olduklarını belirtti. İranlı diplomat Attarzade Niyaki Pakistan'ın Pişaver kentinde 13 Kasım 2008 tarihinde silahlı kişiler tarafından kaçırılmıştı. Bu arada İran İslam cumhuriyetinin Pakistan büyük elçisi Maşallah Şakeri, Attarzade'nin serbest bırakılmasını ailesine ve İran halkına tebrik etti. Maşallah Şakeri, Pişaver'de, kaçırılan İranlı diplomatın İran güvenlik ve istihbarat güçlerince serbest bırakılmasına işaretle, bu olayın İran istihbarat ve güvenlik güçlerinin kabiliyeti ve gücünü gözler önüne serdiğini belirtti. (IRNA) Mukaddes savunma döneminde savaş bölgesi olan ve Huzistan eyaletinde yer alan Feth-ül Mübyin bölgesini ziyaret eden Ayetullah Hamenei, İran milleti mukaddes savunma dönemini unutmamalı dedi. Mehr haber ajansının bildirdiğine gore, dün öğle saatlerinde Feth-ül Mübiyn Harekatı bölgesini ziyaret eden İslam İnkılabı Rehberi Ayetullah Seyyid Ali Hamanei, İran milleti mukaddes savunma dönemini unutmamalı dedi. İşgalci Saddam ordularına karşı verilen amansız savunma savaşlarının en çetinlerinden birinin yaşandığı Huzistan eyaletinde, bir zamanlar savaşın yaşandığı cephe mıntıkasında, şühedayı anmaya ve kutsal savunma günlerinin hatıralarını yad etmeye gidenler, bu mıntıkada İslam İnkilabı Rehberi Ayetullah Hamene yle karşılaşınca sevinç gözyaşlarını tutamadılar. Şüheda ya Fatiha okuyup ailelerine hem taziye, hem takdir duygularını dile getiren İslam İnkılabı Rehberi Ayetullah Hamenei, İslam uğruna can veren şühedayı bu tür bayramlarda minnettarlıkla anmanın, İslami edep ve insani

20 onurun gereği olduğunu hatırlatarak, bu toprakların her karışını kanlarıyla sulayan İslam şehitlerinin ve ailelerinin, bütün İslam ümmetinin onur ve gururu olduğunu, bugünkü neslin onlara minnettarlık beslediğini belirtti. Konuaşmasında sekiz yıllık cetin ve dayatılan savaşa temas eden İslam İnkılabı Rehberi, ABD, eski Soviyetler Birliği ve bazı Avrup ülkelece o dönemde Baas rejimine verilen desteğin amacı İran topraklarını ülkelden ayırmaktı. Ama İran ın yığıt gençleri fedakarlıkla ve sahip oldukları güçlü inanç ve iradeyle emperyalistin komplolarını etkisiz hale getirdiler şeklinde konuştu. Bugün İslam dünyası üzerindeki İran ın nüfuzu eskiye nazaran daha da arttığını ifade eden Ayetullah Hamanei, İran millet kendi ayaklarında durarak bu komplolara karşı durduğunu dile getirdi. Ayetullah Hamanei, siyasi ve düşünce savaşın askeri savaştan daha da zor olduğunu belirterek, güvenlik ve siyasi arenada İran milletinin basireti ve dayanaklığı savaş döneminden eksik olmadığının altını çizdi. (MehrNews Agency) Iran has been re-elected as the vice-chair of the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Iran's ambassador to the Netherlands and the permanent representative to the organization, Kazem Gharibabadi, has been re-appointed as OPCW vice-chair at the meeting of Asian members of the group held in the headquarters of the organization in the Hague and will be introduced to the next meeting of the council scheduled for April Based in The Hague, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is the implementation body of the Chemical Weapons Organization (CWC or Convention). The OPCW is given the mandate to achieve the object and purpose of the Convention, to ensure the implementation of its provisions, including those for international verification of compliance with it, and to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among States Parties, press tv reported. The Executive Council, the executive organ of the Organization, consists of 41 members who are elected by the Conference of States Parties for a term of two years. It is required to carry out all functions and powers entrusted to it by the Convention, as well as any functions delegated to it by the Conference. Iran, as a victim of chemical weapons, has been an active member of the Council. The Council is consisted of regional groups which are as follows: Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe Latin America and the Caribbean Western Europe and other states. (Fars News Agency)