Iraqi Communist Party Leader:
National Consensus on Timetable for Withdrawal of Foreign Forces

Hamid Majeed Mousa, the leader of the Iraqi Communist Party, said that a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign forces expresses an Iraqi popular desire and will, and enjoys a consensus among various patriotic forces. He drew attention to the fact that the development of the political-security process in Iraq requires setting a clearly defined timetable for regaining fully the sovereignty and stability of Iraq. Mousa stressed, in a statement given to the Syrian newspaper Al-Nour, that this would require, first, building the Iraqi armed forces in an efficient, consistent and speedy manner, and strengthening the internal national unity through activating all aspects of national reconciliation. This will provide support for efforts by the government to achieve the withdrawal of the multi-national forces and hand over all security responsibilities to the Iraqis.

He explained that all the patriotic forces are in agreement that the improvement of the political and security situation requires the efforts of everybody, pointing out that this would be the real and effective guarantee for consolidating Iraqi sovereignty and regaining full national independence in order to put an end to foreign interference from any quarter.

Source: "Tareeq Al-Shaab" (People's Path), Iraqi CP daily newspaper, 28 August 2008.
http://www.iraqcp.org/