Iraq's Hakim calls for serious dialogue with armed groups on weapons consolidation

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Ammar al-Hakim, head of Iraq's National State Forces Alliance, said the consolidation of weapons under state authority should be pursued through serious and constructive dialogue with armed groups. Speaking at a joint press conference in Diwaniyah with Governor Abbas Shawail al-Zamli, al-Hakim said development requires stability, and stability requires a strong state. He stressed that weapons must be brought under state control and that corruption must be openly fought, adding that serious steps were being taken to build a state that serves the public interest. Al-Hakim noted that the end of the international coalition mission against ISIS on September 30 coincides with government efforts to bring weapons under state control. He acknowledged that disbanded Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), known as Al-Hashd al-Shaabi, which fought and lost members against ISIS, achieved significant gains, and said a leadership committee within the Coordination Framework has been tasked with engaging these groups in dialogue. Al-Hakim described the atmosphere around the talks as positive and said the fate of the disbanded factions is linked to Iraq's security and economy. He also drew attention to Iraq's reliance on the Strait of Hormuz for most of its exports, warning that any halt to oil flow would create problems similar in gravity to regional disputes. Al-Hakim said there is international will to end the war and reopen the strait, and called for diversifying Iraq's economy away from oil dependence.