Thursday, August 09, 2007
Al-Hashimi calls on Maliki to reform Security Ministry
Politics
(RFE/RL) - Sunni Arab Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi called on Prime Minister al-Maliki to reform the State Ministry for National Security Affairs, in a statement posted on the Iraqi Islamic Party's website on August 7. Al-Hashimi claimed the ministry has expanded beyond the size specified when it was created, with branches in every governorate, and is financed by unknown sources. Al-Hashimi contended that according to the Iraqi Constitution, the ministry is to have no more than 17 employees, noting it currently employs 1,400 people.
"I have major reservations about the formation of the units that are in charge of security, and also over how the security file is being run. Many violations are being carried out, and agreements that were reached before the formation of the government are being breached," al-Hashimi said in the statement. He claimed he presented a study on the security file that called for the ministry to be run jointly -- presumably by Sunnis and Shi'a -- but received no response from al-Maliki.
Labels: Iraqi Islamic Party, Nouri Al-Maliki, Security Ministry, Tariq al-Hashimi
