Doha, July 24: The Political Council for the Iraqi Resistance, which represents four major groups, has engaged with the United States as well as a number of Arab countries.
“It is a major achievement for the resistance to force a military superpower like America to negotiate,” Ali Al-Gabbouri, the Council’s Secretary General and official spokesman, told IslamOnline.net in an exclusive interview.
He said they held two rounds of negotiations with representatives of the US government and signed an initial protocol on the mechanism of negotiations.
“This protocol is in itself recognition of the Iraqi resistance because it was signed by the American government not the multinational forces,” Gabbouri stressed.
“This is a major achievement.”
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Formed in late 2007, the PCIR groups the Army of Islam, the Islamic Front for the Iraqi Resistance, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Iraq Hamas) and Ansar al-Sunnah.
Gabbouri said their negotiations with the Americans focused on four main issues.
“We demanded an official apology from the US government to the Iraqi people and compensations,” he noted.
Without a UN mandate, the US invaded Iraq in 2003 on claims of possessing weapons of mass destruction and links to Al-Qaeda, both proved ungrounded.
The country has since been gripped by violence and living conditions continue to deteriorate.
The PCIR, secondly, asked the Americans to reform the political system, including the constitution, and revamp all official, security and military institutions to accommodate Iraqis from all sects.
“We demanded the release of all detainees, the return of the displaced to their homes and compensations for them.”
Millions of Iraqis have been displaced internally over the past years because of the war, violence and sectarian strife.
Some two million are believed to have fled the country to escape the violence.
“Finally, we want Iraq to be rebuilt,” stressed the PCIR spokesman.
Indifference
Gabbouri said the Americans were indifferent to their demands.
“The negotiations stalled because the Americans were not serious about giving Iraqi people their rights.”
He insisted that negotiating with the Americans did not mean abandoning armed resistance.
Gabbouri described last month’s American troop redeployment outside Iraqi cities as a victory.
“This is the beginning of the end. We hope that our struggle will be crowned with the withdrawal of the last American soldier from Iraq.”
Last month, US combat troops redeployed outside urban areas under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the Iraqi government in November.
The US, which has so far lost more than 4,332 troops since 2003, should withdraw completely from Iraq by 2011.
Engaging Arabs
Gabbouri said the PCIR is now holding talks with Arab governments to urge them not to open embassies in Iraq.
“We have already held contacts with Egypt, Syria and Jordan,” he told IOL, adding that Cairo has received their delegation for talks.
“Other countries will soon follow suit.”
The Iraqi government has repeatedly urged Arab countries to open embassies and consulate.
Egypt has recently unveiled plans to reopen its embassy in Baghdad, four years after its ambassador was slain by militants.
“We are telling the world that their way of dealing with the Iraqi issue is wrong,” argued Gabbouri.
He claims that Arab countries should not deal with the “sectarian” Iraqi government.
“This government does not serve the best of the Iraqi people. Opening embassies and consulates is a mistake.”
Gabbouri outlined their vision for Iraq’s future.
“The occupation and all its forms must end and Iraq must be rebuilt with the help of Arabs, Muslims and the whole world.”
Also, he added, there must be a government of technocrats and a national, rather than sectarian, army capable of defending the country.
“We want a united, stable and independent Iraq.”