The speech focused on relations between Turkey and Iraq before the general elections. Al-Hakim was joined on his visit by Iraqi deputies Ridha Jawad Taqi, Faryad Omar Abdullah, Muhammed Mehdi Emin, his political advisor Muhsin Abdulaziz Muhsin and Abdullah Tütüncü, the Council’s representative to Turkey.Ammar al-Hekim, who lost Muhammad Baqir al-Hakim in 2003, his uncle and founder of the council in 1982, and Abdulaziz al-Hakim, his father who died of cancer on Aug 26, 2009, is mature enough to carry the name of his family despite his young age. He is knowledgeable and experienced and is an eloquent speaker. He also loves Turkish people as his mother-in-law is a Turk
The absence of Abdulaziz al-Hakim, who played a key role in the formation of the Unified Iraqi Alliance that brought the Shiite parties in Iraq together before the 2005 elections, was viewed as a handicap for the internal affairs of his country and the party itself. His biggest role was his ability to hold different groups in his party together and to make relations with the US smoother while also maintaining good ties with Iran. Whether this void could be filled was a major question after his death. But the fears were groundless. Seyyid Ammar al-Hekim took over and has managed to become an influential figure in Iraqi internal politics.
Al-Hakim flew to İstanbul first and then headed to Ankara where he attended a ceremony held to honor the sisterhood established between the cities of Karbala and Yalova. He praised Atatürk and wrote the following statements in a book reserved for Turkish leader: “Atatürk recreated this country in military, economic and social terms.” Al-Hakim sees Turkey as a strategic partner and holds that bilateral relations between the two countries will contribute to Iraqi interests. He said Iraqi and Turkish interests overlap and that a constructive dialogue should be established to effectively combat terrorism. Al-Hakim views Turkey as a bridge connecting Turkey to the Arab and Islamic world and said Turkey’s recent democratic initiatives may serve as models for the region and Iraq and could contribute to regional peace and social order in Iraq.
Al-Hakim doe not think Iraq will have security problems in the case of the US withdrawal from the country. He has criticized the veto by Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi against the election law, saying, “We do not favor the postponement of the elections; this may lead to some security problems.” He further explained that he would support the national coalition in the upcoming general elections scheduled to take place on Jan. 21. Al-Hakim favors democracy in his country and defends equal rights for all ethnicities. He is strongly opposed to the partition of Iraq. He puts emphasis on the integrity and indivisibility of his country for the stability of the entire region. Al-Hakim said that the Arabic identity cannot be overlooked in regional politics. He made assurances that they respect the rights of other peoples in the region and strive to make sure that their rights are protected, adding that nobody should be uncomfortable with Iraq’s Arab identity.
Al-Hakim said they view Turkmen people as part of Iraq, adding that he felt honored to have two Turkmen deputies traveling with him on the visit. He also drew attention to the representation of groups in Iraq for lasting stability in the county. Speaking on the status of the city of Kirkuk, al-Hakim said: “Kirkuk is a small Iraq. I compare this city to a rose; all scents of the rose are there and this is exactly how it should be. We will work hard to make sure that the groups there will achieve peace and reconciliation. We have to work together to make sure that all the historical rights of these people are recognized.” It appears that al-Hakim will serve as a friend to Turkey in the Middle East for a long time to come.
