IRAQ'S parliament voted yesterday to let thousands of members of Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath Party return to government jobs, winning praise from Washington for a benchmark step toward reconciling warring sects.
Washington has long been pressing the Shi'ite-led government to draw the minority Sunni Arab community that held sway under Saddam closer into the political process.
"This law preserves the rights of the Iraqi people after the crimes committed by
the Ba'ath Party while also benefiting the innocent members of the party. This law provides a balance," Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said.
Washington introduced "de-Ba'athification" in Iraq in 2003-04, but later acknowledged that the measures went too far and asked Iraqi leaders to ease them.
"It's an important step toward reconciliation. It's an important sign that the leaders of that country understand that they must work together to meet the aspirations of the Iraqi people," US President George W Bush said.
Iraq's failure to pass the bill last year had been seen as one of the main signs that political progress toward reconciliation was stalled, even as security improved.
The United Nations envoy in Baghdad, Staffan de Mistura, said: "This is good news and a right step in the long-overdue direction towards national reconciliation. It is important that this process is as inclusive as possible."
Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih, the cabinet's senior Kurd, hinted at deeper political changes ahead. Boycotts by Sunnis and others had "undermined the government's ability to cope with challenges" and it was time for a shake-up, he said.
The full article contains 266 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
