IRAQ'S PRESIDENT JALAL TALABANI MET RECENTLY WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF SEVEN ARMED GROUPS AND IS OPTIMISTIC THEY MAY AGREE TO LAY DOWN THEIR ARMS, HIS OFFICE SAID SUNDAY, ACCORDING TO AP. «I THINK WE MAY REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH SEVEN ARMED GROUPS THAT VISITED ME AND I MET WITH THEM,» HIS OFFICE SAID IN A STATEMENT WITH INDICATING WHEN THE MEETING TOOK PLACE. TALABANI'S SPOKESMAN KAMRAN QARADAGHI REFUSED TO IDENTIFY THE SEVEN GROUPS, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE PRESUMED TO BE SUNNI ARAB INSURGENTS. LAST YEAR, TALABANI OFFERED TO MEET WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF INSURGENT GROUPS EXCEPT AL-QAIDA IN IRAQ OR SADDAM HUSSEIN LOYALISTS. THE STATEMENT SAID TALABANI MADE THE COMMENTS SATURDAY DURING A CULTURAL FESTIVAL IN KURDISTAN, THE KURDISH-SELF RULED AREA IN THE NORTH.
