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Anti-US Radical Shiite Cleric al-Sadr To Visit Turkey

Mar 4, 2006/ The New Anatolian

Iraqi Sunni leaders to visit Ankara following al-Jaafari

Ankara finalizes preparations to host 2 Iraqi Sunni Arab leaders, Tarik al-Hashimi and Saleh Mutlak, following visit of Shiite Iraqi PM al-Jaafari

Back-to-back visits of Iraqi heavyweights show Ankara's fears of a possible outbreak of a sectarian war in neighboring Iraq that could lead to country's division, as well as its aim to enable creation of govt of national unity

Anti-US radical Shiite cleric al-Sadr is also expected to visit Turkey, a move likely to make Washington uneasy

Amidst fears of a possible outbreak of a sectarian war in neighboring Iraq that could lead to country's division, back-to-back visits of heavyweights of various Iraqi ethnic and religious groups have been organized to encourage the creation of a united government.

Ankara has finalized the last preparations to host two Iraqi Sunni Arab leaders, Tarik al-Hashimi, the leader of Iraqi Islamic Party, and Saleh Mutlak of the Iraqi Front for National Dialogue.

Apart from the expected visits of Sunni leaders, Ankara is also expected to host the radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr but the exact date for his visit has yet to be set. The back-to-back visits of Sunni leaders and a Shiite cleric will follow the visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari; events that show Turkey's willingness to be in close contact with all Iraqi ethnic and religious groups.

According to our sources, the Turkish government has invited anti-U.S. radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to Ankara for talks to urge unity among Iraqis amid efforts to contain violence in Iraq. The invitation to al-Sadr, whose Mehdi militia has been accused of involvement in violence against Sunnis, also followed another controversial invitation by the Turkish government to militant group Hamas' political leader Khaled Mashaal.

The expected visit of al-Sadr is likely to make the U.S. administration uneasy, but Turkish officials express their decisiveness to go ahead with such contacts.

"In a move to justify Turkey's position in controversial back-to-back visits, Turkey is determined to be in close contact with all of Iraq's ethnic and religious groups," said Ankara's Special Representative to Iraq, Oguz Celikkol, on Thursday.

Celikkol stated that although Ankara wasn't directly involved in the causes of the conflicts in Iraq, it is always negatively affected by the consequences and said, "Turkey wants to see a democratic, pluralist Iraq at peace not only within its own boundaries but also with its neighbors."

Celikkol, on a visit to Iraq last week, also met with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader and Kurdistan regionl President Massoud Barzani and leaders of other religious and ethnic groups and also gave them similar messages, the source said.

A Turkish source stressed last week that the fragile situation makes it necessary for Turkey to use all means possible to convince major ethnic and religious groups to refrain from conflict, to work together to reach an agreement on a national unity government and succeed in consolidating national unity by using constitutional amendments.