Sunni-backed bloc to end Iraq parliament boycott
30 January, 2012
BAGHDAD: Iraq's Sunni-backed Iraqiya political bloc will end a boycott of parliament, a spokeswoman said on Sunday, easing the worst political crisis in Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's power-sharing government in a year. The decision by Iraqiya clears the way for talks among fractious Shia, Kurdish and Sunni blocs, but deep disputes over power-sharing remain unresolved, keeping alive the risk that Iraq could fall back into widespread sectarian violence. The crisis erupted just days after the last American troops left Iraq in December, when Maliki's government sought the arrest of Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi and moved to sideline one of his deputies who branded Maliki a dictator. The political blocs are planning a national conference to try to ease the turmoil. "As a goodwill gesture, Iraqiya announces its return to parliament meetings to create a healthy atmosphere to help the national conference, and to seek guarantees for the conference to succeed and defuse the political crisis," Iraqiya spokeswoman Maysooan al-Damluji told a news conference. Damluji's announcement followed a meeting attended by some of Iraqiya's top leaders, including parliament Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, Finance Minister Rafie al-Esawi and Saleh al-Mutlaq, the deputy prime minister Maliki had tried to oust. Damluji said the leaders would meet again later to decide whether Iraqiya ministers would return to cabinet meetings. Iraqiya's return to parliament could shore up Maliki's position for now, but the Sunni-backed bloc is deeply divided over whether to stay in the fragile power-sharing arrangement. End.
|
