Thursday, August 02, 2007
Accord Front withdraws from parliament
Politics
(RFE/RL) - The main Sunni Arab political bloc today said it is withdrawing from Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's coalition government over his failure to meet a list of demands. Legislators told a Baghdad press conference that the six ministers of the Accordance Front will submit their resignations today, after they suspended their participation in government last week.
The ministers resigning are: Deputy Prime Minister Salam al-Zoubaie; Culture Minister Asaad Kamal al-Hashemi; Higher Education Minister Abd Dhiab al-Ajili; Planning Minister Ali Baban; State Minister for Women's Affairs Fatin Abd al-Rahman Mahmud; and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Rafi al-Isawi.
The Accordance Front had demanded a greater say in security matters, and had accused al-Maliki's Shi'ite-led coalition of failing to consult it on key issues. "It has been obvious that the government is sticking to its arrogant stand and is still insisting on closing all the doors on any reforms necessary for saving Iraq," party spokesman Muhannad al-Issawi said today at a news conference in Baghdad.
Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih today told the Reuters news agency that the bloc's withdrawal "is probably the most serious political crisis we have faced since the passage of the constitution."
The Accordance Front had demanded a greater say in security matters, and had accused al-Maliki's Shi'ite-led coalition of failing to consult it on key issues. "It has been obvious that the government is sticking to its arrogant stand and is still insisting on closing all the doors on any reforms necessary for saving Iraq," party spokesman Muhannad al-Issawi said today at a news conference in Baghdad.
Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih today told the Reuters news agency that the bloc's withdrawal "is probably the most serious political crisis we have faced since the passage of the constitution."
COMMENT: This does not bode well, particularly at a time when the country requires political unity and equal representation. The constitution, the draft oil law and the referendum of Kirkuk (Article 140) are all current topics that require input from the Sunnis. Without the IAF, there will not be enough votes from the remaining Sunni parties on important issues and the Sunni political role will only be slightly stronger than after January 30 2005 when most Sunni Arabs boycotted the elections for Iraq's National Assembly. Since then, it has been a long and painful process to bring the Sunnis to the political table. This will also further undermine al-Maliki's government. COMMENT ENDS.
Labels: Iraqi Accordance Front, Iraqi parliament, Muhannad al-Issawi, resignation, Tawafoq Iraqi Front, withdrawal
