Iraq Occupation Year 7 - Beursschouwburg round table discussion

From left to right: Dr. Hassan Aydinli, Iraqi Turkmen Front EU Representative, Dr. Faleh H.M. Al-Khayat, Iraqi Oil Expert, Hana Al-Bayaty, Abdul Ilah Al-Bayaty, Iraqi Political Analyst.

Round table discussion animated by Hana Al-Bayaty
of the BRussells Tribunal
On 20th March 2009

3rd day of the event “What Future for Iraq”
at the Beursschouwburg in Brussels

The main topics which were discussed were:

OIL: History of Iraq’s oil exploitation, illegality of long term oil-contacts signed under occupation, the oil of Iraq belongs to all the citizens of Iraq

KERKUK: denouncing the false claims of the Kurdish warlords that Kerkuk is a Kurdish city and why their claims over the so-called “disputed territories” in the north of Iraq are unjustified. The Kurdish attempts since April 2003, to change the demography of Kerkuk, the Turkmens' capital city and main cultural centre in Iraq.

DIVIDE AND RULE policy of the occupying forces to weaken Iraq.

The US-UK classified the Iraqi people as ‘Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds” . This classification is false and it is totally rejected by the Iraqi people.

The necessity to have a sovereign and united Iraq at peace with its neighbouring countries for the stability and peace in the Middle-East and the World.

The role of the EU, at humanitarian and human rights levels should be encouraged.

Before the First Gulf War and the economic sanctions (embargo), Iraq has always had strong economic relations with the EU and these relations should be strenghtened in the future.

Prof. Dr. Lieven de Cauter, President of the BRussells Tribunal denounced the mainstream media’s silence over the commemoration of the illegal war and occupation of Iraq.