Allawi discusses vote with resistance leaders

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BAGHDAD -- Prime Minister Iyad Allawi says he has held meetings with resistance figures in an attempt to boost Sunni participation in elections next month, telling them that the era of tyranny is over and that democracy is the future of Iraq.

Speaking to a small group of Western reporters inside the heavily fortified green zone Monday afternoon, Mr. Allawi said he had met with figures on the periphery of the resistance as recently as the end of last week.

"What we have to do is to bring those who committed crimes to justice, and the rest should be brought back to the society and live constructive lives," he said.

"They feel that they have been persecuted and are under pressure. We are trying to assure them and tell them the problem is only with those who have committed crimes. I have issued orders for a lot of them to go back to work."

Mr. Allawi has begun campaigning on behalf of his "Iraqi" coalition, which has fielded a slate of 275 candidates for the Jan. 30 parliamentary elections, even as he tries to run a shaky government with limited public support.

His coalition is offering strong leadership and a tough line on security. But he said his regular meetings with resistance figures were crucial if the insurgency is to be ended.

"We pass through them messages to say that we are willing to continue to fight; as we fought tyranny, we'll fight terrorism until the Iraqi people emerge victorious," he said.

"If they feel they command the respect of the people, go and get elected."

Mr. Allawi said he had mocked one resistance figure, telling him, "What do you want to do? Are you going to bring [Osama] bin Laden to rule Iraq? Or bring Saddam to rule Iraq?"

Mr. Allawi distinguished between those he called insurgents and terrorists, in an apparent attempt to create a rift between former members of Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath Party and foreign extremists.