 Talks to form a new Iraqi government have been postponed until after the Adha holiday âbecause a number of politicians taking part in the talks are currently performing Hajj [pilgrimage]â, according to Fuad Masum, a leading member of Iraqi President Jalal Talbaniâs Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, who participated in the ongoing discussions between the Kurdish Alliance List and other Iraqi political parties. Talbani had received Iyad Allawi, former Iraqi premier, on Friday, at his office in Baghdad . A source close to the president told Asharq al Awsat the âmeeting was part of the exerted effort by the president as the sponsor of the political process to reach a national unity government, in which all Iraqi groups from across the political spectrum will participate, and to resolve problems by national consensus.â
| National unity governments don't have a real good record of being effective. I think they're trying to please everybody, and they're going to end up pleasing nobody. The Shiites are going to feel cheated, and the Sunnis are going to feel like they shot their way into power, which means they'll do the same thing every time they can't have their way in the future. |
For his part, the head of the National Iraqi List underlined the presidentâs proposals as âthe right solution for political stability in the countryâ and pointed out the talks focused on general principles and not details concerning the formation of a new government. Masum hinted, in a statement to Asharq al Awsat, from his offices in Sulaymaniyah, in Iraqi Kurdistan, that the âKurdish leadership is exerting its efforts to include Allawiâs list in the next governmentâ and expressed his opinion that the former premier âmight refuse to participate in person but members of his listâ could take part.
| Allawi's not going to satisfy the Muslim Scholars, though. Way too secular for them... |
The meetings held in Iraqi Kurdistan, whether in al Sulaymaniyah or in Irbil, âwere not official but bilateral talks to share the views of two of the largest blocs in the next Iraqi parliament, the Kurdish bloc and the Iraqi Coalition,â Masum told Asharq al Awsat, adding that, âOur brothers in the Iraqi political blocs did not come to Kurdistan on official visits but were welcomed by the Kurdish leadership.â
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 âIt is well known that relations between the Kurdish leadership, represented by President Talbani and Masud Barzani, the president of Kurdistan region and head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, are strong, deep-rooted and historic. We have no sensitivity towards anyone. The Kurdish bloc will be influential in the next parliament, since it won 60 seats. Its will therefore have a say in the discussion to form the next government,â he said. The Kurdish leader went on to say the âCoalition will nominate the next prime minister because it is the biggest bloc in parliament. We do have no objections to their nominations which will be discussed during official talks with all parties. The strongest candidates for this post are the outgoing Prime Minister Ibrahim al Jaafari followed by Vice President Adil Abdul Mahdi.â Masum also indicated that the Kurdish bloc intended to seek control of one of the two chief posts- the president and prime minister- should the Coalition not agree one a single candidate for the post of premier. It would also seek to control the foreign minister portfolio and other ministries. |