Iraqi Sunnis, Shias Reach Peace Agreement
The Guardian in UK is reporting a “roadmap to peace” agreement between Iraq’s warring factions:
Representatives from Sunni and Shia groups in Iraq agreed on a road map to peace based on the experience in Northern Ireland after four days of secret talks in Finland, reconciliation group the Crisis Management Initiative said last night.
The meeting brought together 16 delegates from the feuding groups to study lessons learned from successful peacemaking efforts in South Africa and Northern Ireland. The factions were convened by the John W McCormack graduate school of policy studies at the University of Massachusetts in Boston. The former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari organised the seminar but was not present.
H/T: All Things Conservative
Crisis Management Initiative describes itself as “an independent, non-profit organisation that innovatively promotes and works for sustainable security. CMI works to strengthen the capacity of the international community in comprehensive crisis management and conflict resolution.” Their press release notes:
Participants committed themselves to work towards a robust framework for a lasting settlement. Those present agreed to a set of recommendations to start negotiations to reach national reconciliation. These recommendations are contained in the attached Helsinki Agreement. The principles of inclusivity, power-sharing and a commitment to removing the use of violence as a means of resolving political differences were among the most urgent concerns agreed.
The Helsinki Agreement (PDF File) is really an agreement to keep talking … the participants pledge to resolve political issues through negotiation and not violence, lay down arms during the negotiation process with an independent commission overseeing the disarmament, and to commit to accept the results of the negotiations. As with all such agreements, the devil is in the details, but it looks like a good start.
In a couple of places the document reflects the wishes of the participants to be free of interference, and I think that includes American interference. Specifically, note number 5 on page one: “To work to end international and regional interference in internal Iraqi affairs” and a similarly worded number 9 on page two: “The cessation of the violation of the human rights of Iraqi citizens and their properties by continuous bombardment and military actions by foreign forces. The Iraqi government must take responsibility to protect innocent civilians.”
Iraqi impatience with an occupying force is going to be a necessary component of our eventual withdrawal. Like the adolescent who can’t wait to get out on his own, and doesn’t know his parents are also wishing for the same thing, the “break up” might not be as cordial as we like. But, as I said about France and that nation’s new interests in Iraq, more western influence — not tainted by the horrors of war — is indeed welcome.
Others blogging about this include:
Gateway Pundit, and Dreams Into Lightening.
