Jalal Talabani
1st State President of Iraq
Incumbent
Assumed office  7 April 2005
Prime Minister	Nouri al-Maliki
Preceded by	Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer (Interim)
Born	November 12, 1933 (1933-11-12) (age 73) Kelkan, Iraq
Political party	Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
Religion	Sunni Islam

Jalal Talabani (Kurdish: جه لال تاله بانی / Celal Talebanî / Jelal Talebaní Arabic: جلال طالباني, Jalāl Tālabānī) (born 1933), is an Iraqi politician, who was elected State President of Iraq on April 6, 2005, (sworn in the next day, April 7, and once again on April 22, 2006, by the Iraqi National Assembly). [1] Talabani is the founder and secretary general of one of the main Iraqi Kurdish political parties, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). He was a prominent member of the Interim Iraq Governing Council, which was established following the overthrow of the Saddam Hussein regime by the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... Shortcut: WP:NPOVD Articles that have been linked to this page are the subject of an NPOV dispute (NPOV stands for Neutral Point Of View; see below). ... Image File history File links Jalal_Talabani. ... The President of Iraq is Iraqs head of state. ... For the ecclesiastical office, see Incumbent (ecclesiastical). ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nouri Kamel Mohammed Hassan al-Maliki (Arabic: نوري كامل المالكي, transliterated NÅ«rÄ« Kāmil al-MālikÄ«; born c. ... Ghazi al-Yawer Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer (born 1958? in Mosul, Iraq) is a Vice-President of Iraq under the Iraqi Transitional Government of 2005, and was President of Iraq under the Iraqi Interim Government from 2004 to 2005. ... is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Iraq_1924. ... The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) (est 1975) (Kurdish: Yakêtî Nîştimanî Kurdistan) is a Sunni political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. ... Sunni Muslims are the largest denomination of Islam. ... The Kurdish language is the language spoken by Kurds. ... Arabic redirects here. ... Year 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The President of Iraq is Iraqs head of state. ... is the 96th day of the year (97th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Iraqi National Assembly is the unicameral parliament of Iraq which meets in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. ... Languages Kurdish Religions Predominantly Sunni Muslim also some Shia, Yazidism, Yarsan, Judaism, Christianity Related ethnic groups other Iranian peoples (Talysh Baluch Gilak Bakhtiari Persians) The Kurds are an ethnic group who consider themselves to be indigenous to a region often referred to as Kurdistan, an area which includes adjacent parts... The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) (est 1975) (Kurdish: Yakêtî Nîştimanî Kurdistan) is a Sunni political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. ... The Iraqi Governing Council. ... Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was the fifth President of Iraq and Chairman of the Iraqi Revolutionary Command Council from 1979 until his overthrow by US forces in 2003. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... This article is about the 2003 invasion of Iraq. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Currently President of Iraq and Secretary General of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Talabani has been an advocate for Kurdish rights and democracy in Iraq for more than fifty years. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) (est 1975) (Kurdish: Yakêtî Nîştimanî Kurdistan) is a Sunni political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. ...

Early life

He was born in 1933 in the village of Kelkan in Iraqi Kurdistan near lake Dokan. He descended from the Talabani tribe that has produced many leading social figures. Anthem Ey Reqîb (English: Hey Guardian) Location of Iraqi Kurdistan (dark green) with respect to Iraq (light green) on a map of the Middle East. ...

Education

He received his elementary and intermediate school education in Koya (Koysanjak) and his high school education in Erbil and Kirkuk. He is fluent in Arabic, Persian, and English. Talabani has a record of lifelong activism and leadership in the Kurdish and Iraqi causes. In 1946, at the age of 13 he formed a secret Kurdish student association. The following year he became a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and in 1951, at 18, he was elected to the KDP's central committee. Upon finishing his secondary education, he sought admission to medical school but was denied it by authorities of the then ruling Hashemite monarchy owing to his political activities. This article is about the province of Iraq. ... Kirkuk (also spelled Karkuk or Kerkuk; Arabic: كركوك, Kirkūk; Kurdish: كه‌ركووك, Kerkûk; Syriac: ܐܪܦܗܐ, Arrapha; Persian: کرکوک; Turkish: Kerkük) is a city in northern Iraq and capital of Taamim Governorate. ... Founded by Mustafa Barzani, the legendary Kurd who fought numerous revolts against Baghdad with success. ... Hashemite is the Anglicised version of the Arabic: هاشمي (transliteration: Hashemi) and traditionally refers to those belonging to the Banu Hashim, or clan of Hashem, a clan within the larger Quraish tribe. ...

Member of Council of Representatives

In 1953 he was allowed to enter law school but was obliged to go into hiding in 1956 to escape arrest for his activities as founder and Secretary General of the Kurdistan Student Union. Following the July 1958 overthrow of the Hashemite monarchy, Talabani returned to law school, at the same time pursuing a career as a journalist and editor of two publications, Khabat and Kurdistan. After graduating in 1959, Talabani performed national service in the Iraqi army where he served in artillery and armor units and served as a commander of a tank unit. Hashemite is the Anglicised version of the Arabic: هاشمي (transliteration: Hashemi) and traditionally refers to those belonging to the Banu Hashim, or clan of Hashem, a clan within the larger Quraish tribe. ...

Rights for Kurds

When in September 1961, the Kurdish revolution for the rights of the Kurds in Iraq was declared against the Baghdad government of Abdul Karim Qassem, Talabani took charge of the Kirkuk and Sulaimani battle fronts and organized and led separatist movements in Mawat, Rezan and the Karadagh regions. In March 1962 he led a coordinated offensive that brought about the liberation of the district of Sharbazher from Iraqi government forces. When not engaged in fighting in the early and mid 1960s, Talabani undertook numerous diplomatic missions, representing the Kurdish leadership at meetings in Europe and the Middle East. When the KDP split in 1964, Talabani along with his long time mentor Ibrahim Ahmed was part of the "Political Bureau" group that broke away from General Mustafa Barzani's leadership, although he later rejoined the KDP and fought during the 1974-1975 revolution against Iraq’s Ba’athist regime. Kurds are one of the Iranian peoples and speak Kurdish, a north-Western Iranian language related to Persian. ... Abdul Karim Qassim Abdul Karim Qassim (also various other spellings; popularly known as az-Za’im [the leader]) (1914 - 9 February 1963) was an Iraqi military officer involved in the 1958 military coup détat. ... Kirkuk (also spelled Karkuk or Kerkuk; Arabic: كركوك, KirkÅ«k; Kurdish: كه‌ركووك, Kerkûk; Syriac: ܐܪܦܗܐ, Arrapha; Persian: کرکوک; Turkish: Kerkük) is a city in northern Iraq and capital of Taamim Governorate. ... Sulaymaniyah (BGN: As SulaymānÄ«yah; Arabic: ‎; Kurdish: سلێمانی, Silêmanî, Silémaní, historic: Sharezûr) is a city in the east of Iraqi Kurdistan. ... Mawat (Kurdish: Mawet) is a town located to the north of Silemania and to the southeast of Lake Dukan in Iraqi Kurdistan. ... Anthem Oj, svijetla majska zoro Oh, Bright Dawn of May Montenegro() on the European continent()  —  [] Capital (and largest city) Podgorica Official languages Serbian (Ijekavian dialect)1 Demonym Montenegrin Government Republic  -  President Filip Vujanović  -  Prime Minister Željko Å turanović Independence due to the dissolution of Serbia and Montenegro   -  Declared June 3, 2006... Sharbazher is a district in Sulaymaniyah Governorate in northeastern Iraq. ... Ahmed Ibrahim is a brigadier general, and police chief, of the Iraqi police. ... Mustafa Barzani (March 14, 1903–March 1, 1979) was a Kurdish nationalist leader and President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). ...

The Iraqi Kurdish separatist movement collapsed in March 1975 after Iran ended their support in exchange for a border agreement with Iraq. This agreement was the 1975 Algiers Agreement, where Iraq gave up claims to the Shatt al-Arab waterway and Khuzestan, which later became the basis for the Iran-Iraq war. Believing it was time to give a new direction to the Kurdish separatists and to the Kurdish society, Talabani, with a group of Kurdish intellectuals and activists, founded the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (Yekiaiti Nishtimani Kurdistan). In 1976, he began organizing armed campaign for Kurdish independence inside Iraq. During the 1980s, Talabani sided with Iran and led a Kurdish struggle from bases inside Iraq until the crackdown against Kurdish separatist from 1987 to 1988. Saddam Hussein talking with Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr For the Algiers Agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea see Algiers Agreement (2000) For the 1981 Algiers Accords between the USA and Iran see Algiers Accords The 1975 Algiers Agreement (commonly known as the Algiers Accord) was a treaty that was meant to... The Shatt al-Arab (Arabic: شط العرب, Stream of the Arabs) or Arvand (called اروندرود: arvandrÅ«d in Persian), also called the Shatt-al-Arab waterway, is a river in Southwest Asia of some 200 km in length, formed by the confluence of the Euphrates and the Tigris in the town of al... Map showing Khuzestan in Iran Domes like this are quite common in Khuzestan province. ... Combatants  Iran Kurdish Peshmerga Iraq Peoples Mujahedin of Iran Commanders Ruhollah Khomeini Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani Ali Shamkhani Mostafa Chamran â€  Saddam Hussein Ali Hassan al-Majid Strength 305,000 soldiers 500,000 Pasdaran and Basij militia 900 tanks 1,000 armored vehicles 3,000 artillery pieces 470 aircraft 750 helicopters... The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) (est 1975) (Kurdish: Yakêtî Nîştimanî Kurdistan) is a Sunni political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. ...

In 1991, he helped inspire a renewed effort for Kurdish independence. He negotiated a ceasefire with the Iraqi Ba'athist government that saved the lives of many Kurds and worked closely with the US, UK, Turkey, France and other countries to set up the safe haven in Iraqi Kurdistan. He established a close personal relationship with the then President of Turkey, Turgut Özal. At that time, he was said to have a Turkish diplomatic passport to travel freely around the world. Democratic elections were held in the safe haven in 1992 for a Kurdish parliament and the Kurdistan Regional Government was founded. Halil Turgut Özal (October 13, 1927–April 17, 1993) was a Turkish political leader, prime minister and the 8th president of Turkey. ...

Talabani has pursued a negotiated settlement to the internecine problems plaguing the Kurdish movement, as well as the larger issue of Kurdish rights in the current regional context. He worked closely with other Kurdish politicians, the rest of the Iraqi opposition factions, and the governments of the UK and Turkey during the Ankara process of Kurdish reconciliation. In close coordination with Massoud Barzani, Talabani and the Iraqi Kurds played a key role as a partner of the US-Coalition in the invasion of Iraq. Massoud Barzani Massoud Barzani (born August 16, 1946) is the head of the Autonomous Kurdish Government in Iraq and leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. ...

Iraq War

Talabani was a member of the Iraqi Governing Council that negotiated the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL), Iraq’s interim constitution. The TAL governed all politics in Iraq and the process of writing and adopting the final constitution. The Law of Administration for the State of Iraq for the Transitional Period is the current Iraqi constitution signed on March 8, 2004 by the Iraq Interim Governing Council. ...

Presidency (2005 - present)

From left U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meet with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 26, 2006.

On April 22, 2006, Talabani was sworn in for a second term as President of Iraq, thus becoming the first President elected under the country's new Constitution. Currently, his office is part of the Presidency Council of Iraq. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2464x1632, 1331 KB)From left U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meet with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 26, 2006. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2464x1632, 1331 KB)From left U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meet with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 26, 2006. ... is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Presidency Council of Iraq, under the Transitional Administrative Law, serves collectively as the head of state. ...

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani (left) responds to a reporter's question during a joint press conference with Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld following their meeting in the Pentagon on Sept. 9, 2005.

On February 25, 2007, Talabani was taken by a United States C-130 Hercules aircraft to Jordan for an undisclosed medical condition. Early reports indicated that Talabani may have suffered a heart attack, but those reports were disputed by Talabani's son during an interview with CNN.^[1] Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih told Reuters in Baghdad: "He had a drop in blood pressure. Doctors said he needs further tests." A statement issued by Talabani's office said there was no cause for concern, but gave no details of his illness. [2] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (3000x2400, 891 KB)Iraqi President Jalal Talabani (left) responds to a reporters question during a joint press conference with Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld following their meeting in the Pentagon on Sept. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (3000x2400, 891 KB)Iraqi President Jalal Talabani (left) responds to a reporters question during a joint press conference with Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld following their meeting in the Pentagon on Sept. ... Donald Rumsfeld Donald Henry Rumsfeld (born July 9, 1932) is the current Secretary of Defense of the United States, since January 20, 2001, under President George W. Bush. ... is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop cargo aircraft and the main tactical airlifter for many military forces worldwide. ...

During a visit to the Cambridge Union Society UK, in May 2007, he described Tony Blair as a 'hero' for helping secure Iraq's freedom. The coat of arms for the Cambridge Union Society, which shares much in common with the coat of arms for the University of Cambridge. ...

References

External links

Wikinews has related news:

Iraq's President supports U.S. Senate plan to decentralize Iraq

• http://www.iraqigovernment.org/index-EN.htm
• http://www.krg.org/

v • d • e Heads of state of Iraq
Kingdom of Iraq (1921-1958) (under British mandate, 1920-1932) Kings of Iraq	Faisal I · Ghazi · Faisal II
Republic of Iraq (since 1958) Presidents of Iraq	Muhammad Najib ar-Ruba'i† · Abdul Salam Arif† · Abd ar-Rahman al-Bazzaz*†  · Abdul Rahman Arif† · Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr† · Saddam Hussein · occupation  · Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer  · Jalal Talabani
* acting     † military