Iraq Sunnis commit to coalition talks

By Ross Colvin

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq’s biggest Sunni political bloc
committed itself on Sunday to talks with Shi’ites and Kurds to
form a government of national unity, but said its key demands,
including changes to the constitution, must be met.

The United States, keen to drive the political process
toward a stable consensus, wants the Kurds and majority
Shi’ites, who dominated last month’s elections, to form a
government that includes minority Sunnis. It hopes an inclusive
coalition will undermine the raging Sunni Arab insurgency.

Four policemen were killed and nine wounded by a roadside
bomb in Baquba, 65 km (40 miles) north of Baghdad. Thirteen
other people were killed in attacks across Iraq, including a
policeman’s four nephews who died when a rocket hit his home.

The Iraqi Accordance Front, which comprises three mainly
Islamist Sunni Arab groups, said it would appeal against the
results of an election it believes was rigged but would still
take part in talks on a new coalition government.

“It will be active in talks with other political blocs to
form a unity government,” said Tareq al-Hashemi, whose moderate
Iraqi Islamic Party is the biggest member of the Front.

Hashemi said the election results did “not reflect the
political and population weight” of the Front, which believes
it should have won 11 more seats. The Sunni coalition would
seek key ministries in the new government as compensation, he
said.

The Front also intends to hold Shi’ites and Kurds to a
promise, extracted under U.S. pressure, of reviewing the
constitution approved in a referendum last October.

CONSTITUTION

Many Sunnis fear the constitution’s provisions for regional
autonomy will give Kurds and Shi’ites control over Iraq’s vast
oil reserves and eventually break the country apart.

“We ask the blocs not to put obstacles in the way of making
some changes to the constitution,” Hashemi told a news
briefing.

After boycotting parliament last year, Sunni leaders had
hoped a big turnout in the December 15 election would put them
in a strong position to press for amendments, particularly on a
new federal state structure, which they fear could give control
of oil to Kurdish and Shi’ite regions in the north and south.

They had also hoped that other Shi’ite and secular groups
opposed to decentralization would undermine the dominance of
the main Shi’ite bloc, the Islamist Alliance, whose most
powerful leaders are strongly in favor of federal autonomy.

But the success of the Alliance in coming close to
retaining its majority may dampen Sunni hopes of securing
amendments with the help of anti-federalist Shi’ites in
parliament.

A Western diplomat closely involved in Iraq’s political
process said Sunni ambitions may have to focus now more on
influencing legislation to be enacted that will spell out
exactly how autonomous regions can be established and operate.

HOSTAGE

As U.S. and Iraqi forces hunted for kidnapped American
reporter Jill Carroll, Iraq’s Justice Ministry said six women
prisoners held by U.S. forces would be released within a week.

Carroll’s abductors threatened to kill her if all women
prisoners in Iraq were not freed.

A joint Iraqi-U.S. review board approved the release of the
women on January 17, before the kidnappers made their demand,
but U.S. officials then apparently delayed freeing them so that
it did not look like they were giving in to the hostage-takers.

“They delayed their release because of the connection with
the kidnapping of the American journalist,” a Justice Ministry
spokesman said.

Iraqi military officials said they had intelligence
indicating Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the militant leader behind
some of the bloodiest attacks, is in Diyala province near
Baghdad.

It is not the first time Iraqi officials have said they
have closed in on the elusive Zarqawi, leader of al Qaeda in
Iraq.

Army posts have been notified of Zarqawi’s presence in
Diyala, northeast of Baghdad, where there has been a surge in
violence in the past few months, the officials said. It was not
known exactly where in the province he was, one official said.

Saddam Hussein may be confronted from the witness stand by
former associates when his trial resumes this week but defense
counsel will call for a halt after the chief judge resigned
complaining of government interference.

“There will be former regime members” among witnesses
appearing on several days of hearings starting on Tuesday and
lasting up to three weeks, a Western diplomat closely involved
in the U.S.-sponsored trial told reporters on Sunday.

(Additional reporting by Waleed Ibrahim, Aseel Kami,
Alastair Macdonald, Michael Georgy and Mariam Karouny)