As president of Iraq, I shall strive to represent the diversity of a country that has too often in the past denied difference.

I thank Turkish officials for their decision not to send troops to Iraq. Turkey is a friendly country, and I want a new page to be opened between us.

Rather, it is through conciliation and compromise that we are building a fair Iraq, a just state for all its peoples.

We need to ignore some petty or nonessential or marginal issues in order to achieve national unity for Iraq, including the unity of the opposition.

Now, the time has come for the rest of the world to recognize that a federal, democratic Iraq that can defend itself against terrorism is a goal worthy of broad international support.

We, and you, cannot afford to cede Iraq to the evil forces of terrorism and religious fanaticism. In two years, there will be no need for American forces.