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Back from Baghdad

Mark Devenport | 12:44 UK time, Monday, 7 July 2008

Not me, but Martin McGuinness and Lord Alderdice, who I met at Belfast City Airport this morning. The Deputy First Minister told me Baghdad provided a vision of what World War 3 would be like. The big question now is whether the Iraqi politicians they met, who signed up to a series of Mitchell style principles, can deliver.

According to Martin McGuinness, there's a possibility, if the Iraqis deem it necessary, that we might host another round of the peace talks here in Ireland. Whilst the debate will continue about the extent to which the NI peace process can provide an example to others, the Baghdad mission will provide grist to the mill for the Executive in their quest for a locally based European Centre for Conflict Resolution.

For any of you keen to know what the Helsinki principles are I am putting my latest copy (which doesn't include any amendments made this weekend) into the extended entry.

Helsinki Agreement

Representatives of Iraqi parties and blocs held discussions in Finland from August 31
through September 3, 2007 and agreed to consult further on the following
recommendations to start negotiations to reach national reconciliation:

1. To resolve all political issues through non-violence and democracy.
2. To prohibit the use of arms for all armed groups during the process of
negotiations.
3. To form an independent commission approved by all parties, its task being to
supervise the process of disarmament of non-governmental armed groups in a
verifiable manner.
4. All parties will commit to accept the results of the negotiations and no party
can be subject to a threat of force from any groups that reject all or part of any
agreement reached.
5. To work to end international and regional interference in internal Iraqi affairs.
6. To commit to protect human rights.
7. To assure the independence and efficiency of the legal and justice systems,
especially the constitutional court.
8. To ensure the full participation of all Iraqi parties and blocs in the political
process and agreed governance arrangements.
9. To take all necessary steps to end all violence, killings, forced displacement
and any further damage to infrastructure.
10. To establish an independent consultative body to explore ways to deal with the
legacy of the past in a way that will unite the nation.
11. All Iraqi parties and blocs have to build Iraq and contribute efficiently to
support all the efforts that would make the political process and Iraqi unity
successful and to preserve its sovereignty.
12. All participating groups must commit to all of the principles listed here as a
complete system of rules.

Political Objectives:

1- To be rational in political speeches, for the national interest, and to move away
from sectarian and ethnic dispute.
2- To bring an end to the displacement of Iraqi people and work to take care of those
displaced, and secure their safe return, with guarantees of their safety by the national
forces in co-operation with political parties and tribal leaders.
3- To deal with the subject of militias under the following procedures:
A- Arming, supplying, training and making sure that the security forces (army/police)
are capable of undertaking their duties efficiently. Make sure that the security forces
are equipped to adequate levels to achieve an effective national force.
B- Activation of economic development across the country, to contain youth
unemployment and use the efforts of young people to rebuild in order to improve the
quality of life for all citizens.
C- Those working outside the law and using military resources inappropriately shall
be brought to justice, with no differentiation.
4- The emphasis on the common vision for all Iraqi political entities on the
importance of termination of the presence of foreign troops in Iraq through the
completion of national sovereignty and rebuilding a national army and security
apparatus according to a national vision within a realistic timetable.
5- An emphasis on the continuation of constructive dialogue between different
political groups aiming to fulfill national goals.
6- To convince political groups that are currently outside the political process to
initiate and activate a constructive dialogue to reach common understandings.
7- To deal with armed groups which are not classified as terrorist, encouraging them
to use peaceful political means to address the conflict and to provide their members
with jobs and opportunities within state administrations.
8- Working towards correcting the misunderstanding that accompanied the political
process and encourage all Iraqi political parties to participate in building Iraq in all
aspects.
9- 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.
END

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