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| Iraq |
| Allawi warns risk of Iraq's dismemberment unless Maliki goes |
| 2014-07-07 |
| [Al Ahram] Former Iraqi prime minister Iyad Allawi ... Iraqi politician, interim Prime Minister prior to Iraq's 2005 legislative elections. A former Ba'athist, Allawi helped found the Iraqi National Accord, which today is an active political party. He survived assassination attempts in 1978, in 2004, and on April 20, 2005. One of these days he won't... called on incumbent Nuri al-Maliki on Saturday to give up his bid for a third term in power or risk the dismemberment of Iraq. Maliki on Friday rejected a chorus of such calls since gunnies of a group now calling itself the Islamic State rampaged through swathes of Iraq and declared a mediaeval-style caliphate in land they control in Iraq and neighbouring Syria. "I think it is time for Mr Maliki to leave the scene," Allawi told Rooters in an interview in Istanbul. "If he stays on, I think there will be significant problems in the country and a lot of troubles. I believe that Iraq would go the route of dismemberment, ultimately, if this happens. "Definitely there will be more violence, the security situation will deteriorate," added Allawi, a secular Shi'ite who took 21 seats in April's national election with his secular bloc. During his political career Allawi has drawn support heavily from disaffected Sunnis, who have felt excluded from power during Maliki's rule. Maliki's statement on Friday will complicate efforts to form a new government to unite the ethnically and religiously divided country, something parliament failed to achieve this week. It extends a political deadlock made all the more dangerous by the pressing threat to Iraq's territorial integrity. Allawi said Iraq needed a road map that prioritised reconciliation and the building of institutions, and that this was more important than the issue of who will be the next prime minister. "It is not a matter of changing faces. It is a matter of agreeing on a road map, to get Iraq from where it is now to a brighter future. I think this road map should incorporate two important areas. "One is the issue of reconciliation. The second is starting to lay down the ground to build the institutions of the state," he added. |
| Posted by:Fred |