Baath can never be political partner, says PM

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said the dissolved Baath Party can never be a partner in the country’s political process, adding the Iraqi people should not be alarmed or concerned. “There were some mass media that attributed statements to the prime minister he did not give,” according to a statement by Maliki’s office clarifying his position on Baath as received by IraqiNews.com news agency. “The Iraqi constitution forbids any dialogues with or return of the dissolved Baath party or any orientation to have it as a partner in the country’s political process for its heinous crimes against all groups of the Iraqi people throughout 35 years,” read the statement. “This party (Baath) is held fully responsible for the suffering of the Iraqi people and the nation’s humanitarian, political, security and economic situation. Anyone who thinks to have a dialogue with Baath, let alone allow it back in the political arena, would be committing flagrant constitutional violation clashing with the state of law and institutions we work on enhancing in the new Iraq,” it added. The statement pointed out that the Baath had forced many Iraqis to join it. “We draw a line between those who were forced to join it under pressure and those who believed in its racist and sectarian ideologies. Based on this, we reiterate our call for those people forced to join Baath to return to the nation as citizens, not as members of the dismantled Baath,” it noted. AmR (S) 1