A former minister in Iraq's interim government says he is in talks with two Sunni insurgent groups, who are prepared to discuss ending their armed resistance to the U.S.-backed Iraqi government.
Ayham al-Sammarei tells VOA that he has been meeting with representatives from the Islamic Army in Iraq and the Mujaheddin Army, and trying to find a way for them to enter negotiations with the government. He drew a distinction between these insurgent groups, which he said do not kill innocent people, and organizations like Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's al-Qaeda in Iraq.
Mr. al-Sammarei says the insurgent groups willing to consider negotiations want to defend themselves and want foreign forces to leave Iraq. The insurgency in Iraq is believed to be made up largely of the country's Sunni Arab minority.
