Iraq meeting under close scrutiny

By Pam O'Toole BBC regional analyst

Leaders of the five main Iraqi political parties have begun a series of meetings in Baghdad to discuss moves to establish an interim government in Iraq.

It is the first time that the group - elected as a leadership council by the largely exiled Iraqi opposition earlier this year - has met in Baghdad.

The "leadership council" includes the heads of the two main Iraqi Kurdish parties along with leaders of three exiled groups, the Iraqi National Congress, the Iraqi National Accord and the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq.

The sixth member of the council - a prominent Sunni, Adnan Pachachi - did not attend its opening session.

The main parties are stressing that all this is being done in co-ordination with the Americans, and is not in competition with the American process

The leadership council meetings are being described as a "parallel Iraqi track" to an American process of political consultations in Iraq.

The Americans want to arrange a conference to select an Iraqi interim government by the end of May.

Iran participation

This Iraqi-driven process may help to bring in parties which have either boycotted previous meetings convened by the Americans, or have sent only junior representatives.

Certainly, it has enabled the Iran-based SCIRI to start participating in political discussions within Iraq at a senior level.

Hoshyar Zebbari, external affairs chief for the Kurdistan Democratic Party, told the BBC that the leadership council would be in more or less "continuous session " from now on.

It had to start taking practical steps towards convening a national conference to establish an interim government.

Reconstruction is a key issue for Iraq

Mr Zebbari said one of the first decisions taken was to set up a permanent secretariat.

It is expected this will serve as a liaison point between the leadership council, other opposition groups and the Americans.

The main parties are stressing that all this is being done in co-ordination with the Americans, and is not in competition with the American process.

But there may be some differences in emphasis.

The main parties are stressing the importance of various bodies elected by meetings of the largely exiled Iraqi opposition in London and northern Iraq before the Iraqi war began.

The implication is that a 65-man leadership committee elected last December could be expanded to become the core of an interim administration.

Advocates of this idea say an expanded committee would take in groups and individuals from inside Iraq as well as other recently returned exiles.

There is also been talk of expanding the existing leadership council.

One prominent Shia group, Daawa - which has boycotted political gatherings convened by the Americans - has indicated that it would be willing to join such a group.

Opposition in exile

However, a lot will depend on how far the mainstream political parties are prepared to accommodate groups inside Iraq.

Only two members of the leadership council - the two Kurdish leaders - have been firmly based on Iraqi territory over recent years.

The others are former exiles. The political process launched by the Americans has already exposed tensions between some of the newly returned exiles and internal political forces which have been emerging over recent weeks.

Some of those who have stayed inside Iraq feel that they should call the shots in any future administration and have questioned the legitimacy of the exiles.

Chalabi is resented by some people

In particular there has been some resentment towards Ahmad Chalabi, the leader of the Iraqi National Congress, because he is perceived as the Pentagon's favoured leadership candidate.

In the past, some exiled Iraqi opposition figures have also been suspicious of the main parties, fearing they were manoeuvring to grab a major role for themselves in a future interim government, locking out independent candidates and groups from inside.

The leadership council will have to move carefully to prevent such suspicions resurfacing.

Some opposition sources say that opinions on this front may be shifting; that the main parties could act as an "anchor" to prevent the political process being hijacked by radical Shia groups from inside Iraq or Baathists trying to infiltrate some of the new political groups.

Nevertheless, others may feel that decisions on whether to expand the 65-member committee and the leadership council should wait until a major conference of Iraqis is convened to decide on an interim government.

There is also the question of whether the main groups can reach agreement amongst themselves.

They have their own very different political constituencies and agendas and it is often proved difficult for them to reach agreement in the past.

And they will be well aware that Washington is watching closely.