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Ex-IRA chief hails Iraq peace talks

  • Story Highlights
  • Martin McGuinness praises talks between Iraq's warring factions in Finland
  • Deputy First Minister met with Sunni and Shi'ite community representatives
  • The Iraqis agreed to consult on 12 recommendations for peace negotiations
  • Agreement incorporates principles taken from the Northern Ireland process
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LONDON, England -- Huge strides towards peace in Iraq were made during discussions between Middle Eastern power-brokers at the weekend, Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister said.

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Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness was promoting peace through negotiation for Iraqis.

Martin McGuinness said four days of talks in Finland involving politicians from Northern Ireland and South Africa were a major stepping stone towards a resolution of conflict in the troubled region.

The Sinn Fein MP was part of a team which on Monday signed off the Helsinki Agreement between members of Iraq's Sunni and Shiite communities which outlines a commitment to non-violence and democracy.

McGuinness, an admitted Irish Republican Army commander in the 1970s, told the Press Association: "Huge strides forward were taken, and we await with interest what will happen from here on in.

"They are power-brokers, they are people with enormous influence in that country. There's no doubt whatsoever that the message that they bring back from Finland to Iraq is important - that we need to do things differently, we need to come together, we need to recognize that, whatever our differences, the only way forward is to unite."

Around 30 members of Iraq's Sunni and Shiite communities attended, including the Sadr grouping.

Jeffrey Donaldson, a pro-British Northern Irish MP involved in the meeting, said the agreement built on principles of democracy and non-violence used in Northern Ireland.

Donaldson told the Press Association: "There has been very useful discussion. Agreement has been reached on the way forward between the parties and they are now going back to Iraq with these proposals.

"The agreement incorporates within it the George Mitchell principles of democracy and non-violence which have been lifted from the Northern Ireland process."

Mitchell, a former U.S. senator, was one of the architects of the Irish dialogue, which culminated in restored power-sharing between Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein.

A spokesman for Sinn Fein, the outlawed IRA's political ally, said: "Sinn Fein have consistently sought to assist other peace processes in recent years with our experience of conflict resolution in Ireland.

"It is welcome that progress has been made over the past number of days and the participants have agreed to a series of principles for moving forward peacefully in Iraq."

Donaldson said the Iraqi parties agreed to consult on 12 recommendations to start formal negotiations.

These included resolving political issues through non-violence and democracy, prohibiting the use of arms during the negotiations and forming an independent commission to supervise disarmament of militia in a verifiable way.

They also agreed to take steps to end violence, killings, forced displacement and any further damage to infrastructure, and also seek an end to the displacement of Iraqis and guarantees for their safe return in cooperation with political and tribal leaders.

Economic development, combating unemployment and adequately equipping security forces were also covered, while there was also an emphasis on the importance of foreign troop withdrawal and rebuilding the national army.

The declaration also demanded an end to "continuous bombardment and military actions by foreign forces." E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend

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