SUNDAY, APRIL 30, 2006"I believe that a deal could be reached with seven armed groups that visited me," Talabani said in a statement released by his office.
The statement said U.S. officials took part in the discussions. The wording of the statement indicated that Talabani was referring to Sunni Arab insurgents.
"There are other groups, excluding the Saddamists and Zarqawi types, who are involved in military operations to remove the occupiers and these are the ones who we are seeking to hold a dialogue with and to include them in the political process."
Talabani, a Kurd, said the talks took place in the northern region of Kurdistan, but did not say when they were held.
A U.S. embassy spokeswoman said the U.S. position has always been to try to persuade insurgents to join the political process who are not associated with Saddam Hussein or Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al Qaeda leader in Iraq.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said last year that U.S. officials had long had contact with people claiming to represent Sunni Arab insurgent groups.
BAGHDAD Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said on Sunday he had met insurgents and a deal to end violence could be reached with some groups.
"I believe that a deal could be reached with seven armed groups that visited me," Talabani said in a statement released by his office.
The statement said U.S. officials took part in the discussions. The wording of the statement indicated that Talabani was referring to Sunni Arab insurgents.
"There are other groups, excluding the Saddamists and Zarqawi types, who are involved in military operations to remove the occupiers and these are the ones who we are seeking to hold a dialogue with and to include them in the political process."
Talabani, a Kurd, said the talks took place in the northern region of Kurdistan, but did not say when they were held.
A U.S. embassy spokeswoman said the U.S. position has always been to try to persuade insurgents to join the political process who are not associated with Saddam Hussein or Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al Qaeda leader in Iraq.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said last year that U.S. officials had long had contact with people claiming to represent Sunni Arab insurgent groups.