Tom Hayden: Northern Ireland, South Africa in Secret (Iraq) Peace Talks

[marmar]

from The Nation:



article | posted September 28, 2007 (web only)
Northern Ireland, South Africa in Secret Iran Peace Talks
Tom Hayden


Sunni and Shi'a leaders began a potential peace process at secret meetings with leaders of the new Northern Ireland and South Africa one month, signing draft set of principles which resemble the protocols that guided the peace settlements in those two countries.

Chairing the closed meetings near Helsinki were Martin McGuinness, the former Irish Republican Army commander, lead negotiator with the British, and now Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, and Roelf Meyer, former leader of the pro-apartheid National Party in South Africa's peace negotiations. The Irish delegation also included former IRA hunger striker Leo Green, minister Jeffrey Donaldson, former Stormont speaker Lord Alderdice, and former loyalist paramilitary leader Billy Hutchison. South African participants included ANC leaders Mac Maharaj and Rashid Ismail, key participants in the military and political negotiations in South Africa.

Names of the Iraq delegations' have not been released but reportedly included six Sunni and nine Shi'a who signed a statement of principles. About thirty Iraqis were present, including Akram al-Hakim, minister of national reconciliation for the Baghdad government, representatives of Moktada al-Sadr, Sunni leader Adnan al-Dulaimi, and Humam Hammoudi, the Shi'a chairman of the Baghdad parliament's foreign affairs committee. .....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071015/hayden

[Island Blue]

1. I'm a bit confused

as to why the headline says "Iran Peace Talks" when they are talking about Iraq. (I realize it's not your headline, Marmar, but the Nation's.) Am I missing something? Anyway, this would appear to be good news. God knows TPTB in this country don't have peace on the agenda.

[marmar]

2. I didn't even pay attention to it......I don't know why either!!

:shrug: