Iraqi Shiites Extend Christmas Greetings To Christian Countrymen

Apparently attempting to calm fears that a theocratic Shiite government is about to be established, the Iraqi government went out of its way to wish Iraqi Christians a Merry Christmas on Saturday. M&C News reports on the attempt to assure Iraqi Christians that they will have a role in the country's political future. Al-Iraqiya television, a station that reflects the government's views, gave air time for Moslem Iraqis to send greetings. A Christmas eve program featured telephone calls from inside and outside Iraq with holiday greetings to the 750,000 Christians in the country. The program also covered an hour-long mass from inside Baghdad's St. Joseph's Chaldean church. President Jalal Talabani, Vice-President Ghazi al-Yawer and Shiite Interior Minister Bayan Jaber Solagh all appeared on the program.