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02/06/2005:

"Sunnis demand timetable for foreign troops withdrawal"

 BAGHDAD, Feb. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Iraq's influential Sunni religious leadership on Saturday put the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country as a condition to participate in the constitution-writing process.

    Spokesman of the Committee of Muslim Scholars Omar Ragheb revealed it to reporters after Hareth al-Dhari, head of the committee, met with Ashraf Qazi, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's special envoy in Iraq.

    "Qazi asked the committee to take part in drafting the constitution," said Ragheb, adding "we told him that we had conditions and one of them is to reach a consensus with all partiesover a timetable for the withdrawal of the foreign troops from Iraq".
Full Article: xinhuanet.com