Press: Guarded hope for Iraq talks

Arabic papers have been watching closely as Iraqi political and religious figures meet in Cairo to thrash out plans for a conference of national reconciliation.

Some Baghdad papers believe the process can bring together the country's estranged Shia and Sunni factions, but others insist there can be no compromise with insurgents or supporters of former dictator Saddam Hussein. There is also suspicion of the Arab League, which is sponsoring the talks.

Elsewhere in the region, some dailies argue that reconciliation is not possible till foreign troops leave Iraq. Others however believe the talks are at least a step towards avoiding the threat of sectarian conflict.

ABDEL-HUSSEIN SALMAN IN IRAQ'S AL-ADALA

All the forces that have been until recently boycotting the political process have rushed to take part. This is a clear indication of the successful structure of the new Iraq and the stage of implementation achieved despite all the obstacles in the way, which have cost Iraq rivers of blood and enormous efforts.

BASSIM SHAYKH IN IRAQ'S AL-DUSTUR

The conference has become a reality and influential people are taking part. Each should play his role and avoid tension, extremism and pointless delaying tactics, since dialogue is the motto all have upheld by accepting the invitation to attend. Acting as a team despite difference of opinion is in the country's interest and proves that one belongs to Iraqi soil.

AMIL AMIN IN IRAQ'S AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT

Will the Cairo meeting succeed? We believe this is likely, but only if certain conditions are met. Most importantly, firm decisions in favour of reconciliation must be reached, together with a clear mechanism for their implementation, with an active role for the UN and Iraq's neighbours. Even before that, a clear position should be worked out on the occupation, the root cause of the problem.

JABIR HABIB JABIR IN AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT

For Iraqi reconciliation to succeed, the Arab League - the talks' sponsor - should make its weight felt through tangible offers of political, economic and social support which can serve as a means to exert moral and material pressure on all Iraqi parties concerned to move towards compromise. So far, however, the Arab side has presented Iraqis with nothing but car bombs, suicide attackers and funds funnelled to bolster armed groups.

EDITORIAL IN IRAQ'S AL-BAYYINA AL-JADIDA

The destitute majority of Iraqis will accept nothing less than their full due, and there can be no reconciliation whatsoever with the unrepentant Baathists, rejectionists or Wahhabis [fundamentalist Sunnis] who have waded so deep in Iraqi blood. Also, no well-intentioned mediator will let the slaughterers of Iraqis have a say on the future of Iraq, or allow the killers of innocent children to masquerade as dovish missionaries spreading the message of love and peace.

EDITORIAL IN UK-BASED AL-QUDS AL-ARABI

The issue of expanding the Iraqi political process has topped the conference's agenda, which shows that the US Administration's goals have been achieved and acknowledges the legality of its occupation in Iraq. The Arab League and its secretary-general, Amr Moussa, played a big role in making this a success.

AHMAD AL-HOUNI IN UK-BASED AL-ARAB AL-ALAMIYAH

All the speeches presented the group's own visions and failed to come up with anything new that could get Iraq out its current painful state. The exception was the secretary-general of the [Sunni] Association of Muslim Scholars, Dr Harith al-Dari, who stressed that the most important thing was to set a time table for the withdrawal of foreign troops. Only then will Iraqis settle their differences and the resistance stop.

MAHMOUD RIMAWI IN JORDAN'S AL-RA'Y

A long time will pass before Iraqi separatists can conduct a dialogue with each other, let alone reach an agreement. Unfortunately, the reason is not that they are incapable of conducting a dialogue, but that four decades of division have crippled the language of dialogue. Some time will have to pass before the separatists get to know each other, and the Cairo meetings have reflected this.

SATI NUREDDIN IN LEBANON'S AL-SAFIR

The most important thing is that the conference has completely buried the idea of a Shia state in Iraq, an idea which has been constantly tempting the Americans in the past two years, despite their failure to turn it into reality. The conference is only a first step towards the long search for an alternative to the idea of a Shia state in Iraq.

EDITORIAL IN EGYPT'S AL-AKHBAR

The conference is a perfect indication that Iraq has returned to the Arab League fold, despite attempts by others to separate the two. However, the league is for all Arabs.

EDITORIAL IN SAUDI AL-WATAN

Whatever the disputes between the Iraqi leaders taking part are, this meeting will get a positive response. We hope the new Arab role will continue and intensify to frustrate those who want a dictatorship in Iraq.

BBC Monitoring selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaus abroad.