Coalition Calls for Establishing Assyrian Safe Haven in North Iraq

(AINA) — Save Assyria Front, a coalition of Assyrian groups, has called for the establishment of an Assyrian administered region in north Iraq. The coalition issued the following statement:

In order to address the complicated circumstances in our region and the fabricated democracy in Iraq resulting in marginalization and exclusion of our Assyrian case, and taking into consideration the high national Interest of our Assyrian people, the Expanded Assyrian conference held in Sweden in December 15-17, 2006 proposed the establishment of an Assyrian front to include all the Assyrian efforts and potentials representing all political parties, organizations, institutions, and independent activists under the name "Save Assyria Front" based on the following principals:

1. Demand that the Assyrians be recognized as the original, indigenous people of Iraq.
2. Demand that the Assyrian identity be confirmed in the Iraqi Constitution as a comprehensive national identity
3. Demand the recognition of establishing the region of "Assyria" with the following geographical borders:

   North: The international borders of the state of Iraq with Turkey and Syria
   East: Including the Nirwa and Rikan region down to the greater Zab River
   West: The Tigris River
   South: The point where the greater Zab meets with the Tigris River

Furthermore, to the expanded Assyrian conference held in Sweden, the "Save Assyrian Front" first conference was held in Tbilisi, Georgia in March 15-17, 2007 under the slogan "Our Salvation is in Our Unity" where, in those three days, the delegates discussed the timetable of the conference and submitted the bylaws and the internal political program for "Save Assyria Front" as a national political entity which believes in Assyrian identity and represents a coalition including political parties, organizations, institutions, and independent activists struggling for the national rights of Assyrian people and based on the following strategies:

1. To confirm the principals adopted at the Sweden conference as the essential basis for the work of the "Save Assyria Front".
2. To confirm the Assyrian political agenda as an independent agenda with no link to any other specific party.
3. To confirm that the participation in the "Save Assyria Front" is open to all political parties, organizations, institutions, and independent activist that believes in the announced goals of the Front.

In conclusion, "Save Assyria Front" extends its gratitude to the people and the government of the Republic of Georgia for facilitating this conference.

Long live the United Free Iraq
Long live the Assyrian Nation

Save Assyria Front
March 17, 2007