IRAQ: KURIDISH LEADER MASOUD BARZANI HOLDS TALKS WITH SENIOR SHIITE MUSLIM CLERICS ON THE FUTURE OF IRAQ

Record ID: 648469

  • Title: IRAQ: KURIDISH LEADER MASOUD BARZANI HOLDS TALKS WITH SENIOR SHIITE MUSLIM CLERICS ON THE FUTURE OF IRAQ
  • Date: 5th June 2003
  • Summary: (W6) NAJAF, IRAQ (JUNE 5, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SV KURDISH LEADER MASOUD BARZANI'S CAR DRIVING THROUGH NAJAF 0.04 2. SV BARZANI BEING GREETED BY THE SHIITE LEADER AL SISTANI 0.07 3. LV CROWD FOLLOWING BARZANI AND SISTANI 0.13 4. SLV/SV OF BARZANI WALKING (2 SHOTS) 0.22 5. MCU (ARABIC) KURDISH LEADER MASOUD BARZANI: "The meeting was good. We listened to Al-Sistani's advice and we agreed with our brothers here on the unity between the Arabs and Kurds and unity between all the Iraqis. We must ensure that the new constitution guarantee's the rights of all Iraqis. I can say the meeting was positive." 0.51 6. SLV CAR ARRIVING 0.55 7. SV BARZANI BEING GREETED BY MOHAMMED BAQIR AL-HAKIM 1.00 8. SLV/SV/MCU OF BARZANI AND AL-HAKIM MEETING (3 SHOTS) 1.09 9. MCU CAMERAMAN 1.13 10. LV OF BARZANI AND AL-HAKIM SITTING AT PRESS CONFERENCE 1.18 11. MCU (ARABIC) MOHAMMED BAQIR AL-HAKIM SAYING: "The cooperation has to be between all Iraqi people especially the Kurds who have had a long history of struggling against the previous regime. They must be involved in building the new Iraq." 1.49 12. LAS/SLV EXTERIOR OF AL-IMAM ALI MOSQUE (2 SHOTS) 1.57 13. SLV/SV OF BARZANI WALKING INTO THE MOSQUE (2 SHOTS) 2.04 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 20th June 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NAJAF, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVAEMSIG77KN3JC8C9PKJHBWOGAB
  • Story Text: Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani has held talks with
    senior Shiite Muslim clerics on the future of Iraq in the holy
    city of Najaf


    Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani on Thursday (June 5)
    visited the holy city of Najaf and held talks with senior
    Shiite Muslim clerics on the future of Iraq.

    In his first trip to Najaf since 1967, Barzani spent over
    half an hour with Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Ali
    Mohammed al-Sistani.

    Sistani, who stayed in Najaf during Saddam's regime,
    wields much influence over Shiites who make up about 60
    percent of Iraq's 26 million people. The top Shiite cleric
    rarely appears in public and does not advocate an active
    political role for clerics such as himself.

    On the way to Sistani's house, Barzani was greeted by
    cheering crowds shouting "Our blood and souls for you,
    Barzani".

    Barzani said he was pleased with the meeting.

    "The meeting was good. We listened to Al-Sistani's advice
    and we agreed with our brothers here on the unity between the
    Arabs and Kurds and unity between all the Iraqis. We must
    ensure that the new constitution guarantee's equal rights to
    all Iraqis. I can say the meeting was positive." Barzani said.

    The Najaf talks precede a meeting in Baghdad on Friday
    between the top U.S. administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer and
    seven Iraqi political groups on setting up a controversial
    interim Iraqi administration.

    Hamid al-Bayati, a spokesman for another Iranian backed
    opposition group, was present at the meeting between Barzani
    and Sistani. He told Reuters that the Shiite religious leader
    had emphasised the importance of having a constitution written
    by Iraqis who are elected not appointed.

    The spokesman also said there had been no mention of
    Bremer's plans, but said Sistani had asked Barzani how long it
    would take before the U.S.-British occupation of Iraq gave way
    to an independent Iraqi government. Barzani told the cleric it
    would take months, perhaps a year. Sistani did not comment.

    Kurds and Shiites suffered greatly at the hands of Saddam
    Hussein's Sunni Muslim-dominated government, whose 24-year
    rule was ended by U.S.-led forces in April.

    Iraqi troops crushed Kurdish and Shiite revolts after the
    1991 Gulf War. Former President George Bush had urged Iraqis
    to rise against Saddam, but then did nothing to help them.

    Barzani said last month that Kurds, an estimated 20
    percent of the population, were not seeking an independent
    state in northern Iraq.

    Later the Kurdish leader met Ayatollah Mohammed Bakr
    al-Hakim, leader of the Iranian-backed Supreme Council for
    Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI).

    Hakim said Kurds must be involved in the building of a new
    Iraq.

    "The cooperation has to be between all Iraqi people
    especially the Kurds who have had a long history of struggling
    against the previous regime. They must be involved in building
    the new Iraq."



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