WASHINGTON, Feb 13 (AFP) - Low turnout by Iraqi Sunni voters was a concern, Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh told CNN television Sunday.
Sunni influence over Iraq has waned since the March 2003 US-led invasion and was crystallized by the fact that many Sunni voters and politicians did not take part in landmark January 30 elections in Iraq.
"Undoubtedly, that is a concern, but we have to all accept the challenge and make sure that we reach out to all the communities of Iraq, because as we build this new nation, as we embark on devising the new political contract in Iraq, we must emphasize inclusiveness, and we must reach out to all elements of society," Saleh said.
"We cannot afford another era of conflict and turbulence. It's time Iraqis enjoyed stability and democracy, and that's what requires bringing all key players and all key communities on board, and we will do so," he insisted.
Asked about the role of Iraqi Kurds, Saleh said: "We will build a democratic nation that will be at peace with its people, including the Kurdish people."
"The Kurdistan Alliance list will be nominating Jalal Talabani to the post of the president of Iraq, and we believe that he has the qualities of leadership and respectability to assume that position, and we are working with other blocks in the parliament that we anticipated will be represented there to make sure that will happen," Saleh added.
"And it will be important to emphasize, should a Kurd assume the top presidency slot in Iraq, will be a statement about the direction of the new Iraqi state, that we want to have an Iraq in which the Kurds will not be treated as second-class citizens."
Turnout was extremely low in most of the Sunni heartland, and the community of the once unchallenged rulers will be very poorly represented in the 275-member National Assembly. Moderate Sunnis parties scored poorly, with President Ghazi al-Yawar's Iraqiyun list garnering a paltry five seats in parliament and the Independent Democrats of elder statesman Adnan Pachachi only one.
Meanwhile the main Shiite religious coalition and the ticket formed by the two main Kurdish parties were the undisputed winners of the ballot.
02/13/2005 17:21 GMT - AFP