Monday, June 25, 2007
Sunni Arab blocs boycott parliament as Sunni speaker is not reinstated
Politics
(AP) - Parliament's two Sunni Arab blocs boycotted the 275-seat house on Sunday because the Sunni speaker, Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, was not reinstated as they demanded. Muhannad al-Issawi, a spokesman for Adnan al-Dulaimi, leader of the Iraqi Accordance Front, had said that the 44-seat bloc decided in a meeting Saturday to demand that al-Mashhadani preside over Sunday's session.
"If the demand is rejected by other blocs, then the Accordance Front will suspend its participation in parliament," al-Issawi had told The Associated Press. The Accordance bloc was joined in the boycott by the National Dialogue Front.
The Shiite-dominated legislature wants al-Mashhadani to step down and has named his Shiite deputy, Khaled al-Attiya, as a temporary replacement. Many legislators viewed al-Mashhandani's erratic behavior as unbecoming and a hindrance to parliament's ability to pass key benchmark legislation as demanded by Washington.
"If the demand is rejected by other blocs, then the Accordance Front will suspend its participation in parliament," al-Issawi had told The Associated Press. The Accordance bloc was joined in the boycott by the National Dialogue Front.
The Shiite-dominated legislature wants al-Mashhadani to step down and has named his Shiite deputy, Khaled al-Attiya, as a temporary replacement. Many legislators viewed al-Mashhandani's erratic behavior as unbecoming and a hindrance to parliament's ability to pass key benchmark legislation as demanded by Washington.
Labels: Iraqi Accordance Front, Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, National Dialogue Front
