Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Quartet alliance want Fadhela Party
Politics
(Voices of Iraq) - A member of parliament from the Islamic Fadhlia (Virtue) party said on Monday that senior Iraqi officials have voiced “desire” for the party to enter the four-way alliance, while some Shiite officials are trying to convince the party to return to the Unified Iraqi Coalition (UIC). “The Quartet coalition has a desire for us to join, but we have not received an official invitation in this regard so far,” Basem Sharief told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
The Islamic Daawa Party, the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC), and the two main Kurdish parties formed a four-way alliance in mid-August that they claim aims at backing the current Iraqi government following the withdrawal of some political blocs from the cabinet.
Regarding the withdrawal of the Sadrist bloc and the Fadhila party of the UIC, the parliamentarian said “The two have the desire to continue negotiations to agree on a project that serves the national interest.” The spokesman for the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's movement announced on Saturday the withdrawal of the Sadrist parliamentary bloc from the Shiite Unified Iraqi Coalition. Six months ago, the Shiite Fadhila (Virtue) party, which holds 15 seats in the parliament, withdrew from the UIC.
The Islamic Daawa Party, the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC), and the two main Kurdish parties formed a four-way alliance in mid-August that they claim aims at backing the current Iraqi government following the withdrawal of some political blocs from the cabinet.
Regarding the withdrawal of the Sadrist bloc and the Fadhila party of the UIC, the parliamentarian said “The two have the desire to continue negotiations to agree on a project that serves the national interest.” The spokesman for the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's movement announced on Saturday the withdrawal of the Sadrist parliamentary bloc from the Shiite Unified Iraqi Coalition. Six months ago, the Shiite Fadhila (Virtue) party, which holds 15 seats in the parliament, withdrew from the UIC.
Labels: Basem Sharief, Dawa party, Fadhila Party, Kurdistan Coalition, SIIC, UIC
Monday, September 17, 2007
Furtehr conflict expected between the Shiite Unified Iraqi Coalition
Politics
(Voices of Iraq) - More conflicts are expected to arise within the Shiite Unified Iraqi Coalition (UIC), the Sunni Iraqi Accordance Front (IAF) and the Kurdistan Coalition (KC), the leader of the secular National Dialogue Front (NDF), Saleh al-Motlaq, said on Sunday, describing the three blocs as "sectarian." Such divisions will be used to withdraw confidence from Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government, al-Motlaq added.
"Those who seek to set up a national salvation front will benefit from al-Sadr movement's withdrawal from the Shiite coalition and call for a vote of no confidence against al-Maliki's government," al-Motlaq told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI) by phone. The statements come following the withdrawal of the Sadrist bloc from the Shiite coalition and the defection of the planning minister Ali Baban from the IAF two days ago.
Denying any intention to form an opposition front to what he described as the Shiite-Kurdish bloc, al-Motlaq said, "We want to set up a national salvation front, not an opposition front." The Shiite Daawa Islamic Party, the Shiite Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC), and the two main Kurdish parties formed a four-way alliance in mid-August that they said aims at backing the current Iraqi government following the withdrawal of some political blocs from the cabinet.
Describing the withdrawal of some political blocs from the Shiite coalition as a "national awakening," al-Motlaq claimed that the formation of "sectarian blocs" will plunge the country into an abyss of violence. The NDF holds 11 seats in the 275-member parliament.
"Those who seek to set up a national salvation front will benefit from al-Sadr movement's withdrawal from the Shiite coalition and call for a vote of no confidence against al-Maliki's government," al-Motlaq told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI) by phone. The statements come following the withdrawal of the Sadrist bloc from the Shiite coalition and the defection of the planning minister Ali Baban from the IAF two days ago.
Denying any intention to form an opposition front to what he described as the Shiite-Kurdish bloc, al-Motlaq said, "We want to set up a national salvation front, not an opposition front." The Shiite Daawa Islamic Party, the Shiite Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC), and the two main Kurdish parties formed a four-way alliance in mid-August that they said aims at backing the current Iraqi government following the withdrawal of some political blocs from the cabinet.
Describing the withdrawal of some political blocs from the Shiite coalition as a "national awakening," al-Motlaq claimed that the formation of "sectarian blocs" will plunge the country into an abyss of violence. The NDF holds 11 seats in the 275-member parliament.
Labels: Iraqi Accordance Front, Kurdistan Coalition, National Dialogue Front, Saleh al-Motlaq, United Iraqi Coalition
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Kurdistan Coalition willing to postpone Kirkuk referendum
Politics
(Voices of Iraq) - The Kurdistan Coalition has no problem with putting off the planned referendum on the situation in Kirkuk until the end of this year, the head of the coalition's parliamentary bloc Fuad Masoum said on Monday. "We have no problem with postponing the referendum on Kirkuk for two or three months or even more," Masoum told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI) by phone.
An Iraqi parliamentary vote on Saturday extended the work of the Constitutional Amendments Committee until the end of 2007, delaying the referendum on Kirkuk's status that was expected by the end of 2007. Masoum, who is also a member of the committee, said that the proposed constitutional amendments do not "conflict" with the referendum on Kirkuk. "The majority of parliamentary blocs agree that article 140 should not be subject to constitutional amendments," he said. Meanwhile the head of the committee, Humam Hamoudi, said on Saturday that the parliament's decision was taken in the light of the committee's failure to resolve several controversial issues, including article 140.
Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution is related to the normalization of the situation in Kirkuk, an important and mixed city of Kurds, Turkmen, Christians and Arabs. Kurds seek to include the city in the autonomous Iraq's Kurdistan region, while Sunni Arabs, Turkmen and Shiite Arabs oppose the incorporation. The article currently stipulates that all Arabs in Kirkuk be returned to their original locations in southern and central Iraqi areas, and formerly displaced residents returned to Kirkuk, 250 km northeast of Baghdad. A referendum, provided for in the Iraqi constitution, was scheduled to be held by the end of the current year on including the city into the Kurdistan region.
An Iraqi parliamentary vote on Saturday extended the work of the Constitutional Amendments Committee until the end of 2007, delaying the referendum on Kirkuk's status that was expected by the end of 2007. Masoum, who is also a member of the committee, said that the proposed constitutional amendments do not "conflict" with the referendum on Kirkuk. "The majority of parliamentary blocs agree that article 140 should not be subject to constitutional amendments," he said. Meanwhile the head of the committee, Humam Hamoudi, said on Saturday that the parliament's decision was taken in the light of the committee's failure to resolve several controversial issues, including article 140.
Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution is related to the normalization of the situation in Kirkuk, an important and mixed city of Kurds, Turkmen, Christians and Arabs. Kurds seek to include the city in the autonomous Iraq's Kurdistan region, while Sunni Arabs, Turkmen and Shiite Arabs oppose the incorporation. The article currently stipulates that all Arabs in Kirkuk be returned to their original locations in southern and central Iraqi areas, and formerly displaced residents returned to Kirkuk, 250 km northeast of Baghdad. A referendum, provided for in the Iraqi constitution, was scheduled to be held by the end of the current year on including the city into the Kurdistan region.
Labels: Article 140, Fuad Masoum, Humam Hamoudi, Kirkuk, Kirkuk referendum, Kurdistan Coalition
Monday, September 10, 2007
Kurdish Coalition deny contact with Baathists
Politics
(Voices of Iraq) - Two members of the Kurdistan Coalition (KC) denied on Sunday having any contacts with Baathists, adding some Kurdish politicians have met with members of the former ruling party in their personal capacity not as KC members. "There are no contacts between the KC and the Baathists and the information reported about that was not true," Friad Rawndozi, the official spokesman for the KC, the second largest bloc in the Iraqi parliament with 55 out of a total 275 seats, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
Earlier on Sunday a prominent member of former Iraqi prime minister Iyad Allawi's Iraqi National List (INL) said that the KC was making contacts with Baathists, noting Allawi "was not the only one making these contacts. Everyone is denying contacts with Baathists, but there are dialogues grouping together members of the Baath Party and more than one political bloc," Nejefi told VOI by telephone.
Rawndozi indicated that "Jalal Talabani has met armed factions that have links with the dissolved Baath Party but in his capacity as president of Iraq." On Saturday, Iyad Jamal al-Din, an INL member of parliament, said he mediated between U.S. officials and Baathists belonging to former Iraqi vice president Ezzat al-Dori to boost the political process. "They were several meetings that took place inside and outside Iraq," Jamal al-Din told VOI.
He said the meetings "were convened in Arab countries." He declined to name those Arab countries or say when those meetings were held. "The meetings or negotiations were not meant against the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. On the contrary, they were supporting it and would be of benefit to the country's political process," Jamal al-Din said.
He pointed out that the Baathists, or members of the former ruling Baath (Resurrection) Party, "objected the law on debaathification and the Americans spoke to them about means to push forward the political process."
Allawi had said he met secretly with representatives from the dissolved party's Ezzat al-Dori wing with the aim of arranging their return to Iraq and participation in the political process.
"The dialogue has taken place upon the request of the United States, which was represented by high-ranking officials in those meetings. The discussions focused on how to merge the Baath Party members into the political process," Allawi said in a televised interview by the all-news Dubai-based al-Arabiya satellite channel.
Earlier on Sunday a prominent member of former Iraqi prime minister Iyad Allawi's Iraqi National List (INL) said that the KC was making contacts with Baathists, noting Allawi "was not the only one making these contacts. Everyone is denying contacts with Baathists, but there are dialogues grouping together members of the Baath Party and more than one political bloc," Nejefi told VOI by telephone.
Rawndozi indicated that "Jalal Talabani has met armed factions that have links with the dissolved Baath Party but in his capacity as president of Iraq." On Saturday, Iyad Jamal al-Din, an INL member of parliament, said he mediated between U.S. officials and Baathists belonging to former Iraqi vice president Ezzat al-Dori to boost the political process. "They were several meetings that took place inside and outside Iraq," Jamal al-Din told VOI.
He said the meetings "were convened in Arab countries." He declined to name those Arab countries or say when those meetings were held. "The meetings or negotiations were not meant against the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. On the contrary, they were supporting it and would be of benefit to the country's political process," Jamal al-Din said.
He pointed out that the Baathists, or members of the former ruling Baath (Resurrection) Party, "objected the law on debaathification and the Americans spoke to them about means to push forward the political process."
Allawi had said he met secretly with representatives from the dissolved party's Ezzat al-Dori wing with the aim of arranging their return to Iraq and participation in the political process.
"The dialogue has taken place upon the request of the United States, which was represented by high-ranking officials in those meetings. The discussions focused on how to merge the Baath Party members into the political process," Allawi said in a televised interview by the all-news Dubai-based al-Arabiya satellite channel.
Labels: Baathists, Ezzat al-Dori, Friad Rawndozi, Iraqi National List, Iyad Allawi, Iyad Jamal al-Din, Kurdistan Coalition
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Blocs opposing new candidates delay reshuffle
Politics
(Voices of Iraq) - An Iraqi Parliamentarian from the Kurdistan Coalition said on Monday that a number of parliamentarian blocs' objection to the candidates for the vacant portfolios led to a delay in the lawmakers' voting. "The Sadrist bloc, lawmakers loyal to the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, argued that the candidates are not independent or technocratic enough," Mahmoud Othman told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
Six ministers, from the Sadrist bloc, withdrew from the government in mid April and the Shiite cleric Sadr authorized the Iraqi Prime Minister to select alternatives from the qualified independent characters. The Sadrist bloc, a main component of the Shiite parliamentary bloc, has 30 seats out of the 275-seat parliament.
"A number of the parliament's members left the session when it was presented for discussion, which led to lack of quorum," Othman also said.
"The last session was attended by 171 members, but they were busy discussing issues on protecting the parliament's building and when the time came to vote for the reshuffle, only 110 members were present and it was not sufficient according to the constitution to vote for a reshuffle which necessitate the presence of no less than 138 members," he explained.
"The vacant ministries are important as most offer services and there should be an understanding between the blocs to settle the whole issue," the lawmaker noted. He voiced hope over settling the issue in Tuesday's session.
Six ministers, from the Sadrist bloc, withdrew from the government in mid April and the Shiite cleric Sadr authorized the Iraqi Prime Minister to select alternatives from the qualified independent characters. The Sadrist bloc, a main component of the Shiite parliamentary bloc, has 30 seats out of the 275-seat parliament.
"A number of the parliament's members left the session when it was presented for discussion, which led to lack of quorum," Othman also said.
"The last session was attended by 171 members, but they were busy discussing issues on protecting the parliament's building and when the time came to vote for the reshuffle, only 110 members were present and it was not sufficient according to the constitution to vote for a reshuffle which necessitate the presence of no less than 138 members," he explained.
"The vacant ministries are important as most offer services and there should be an understanding between the blocs to settle the whole issue," the lawmaker noted. He voiced hope over settling the issue in Tuesday's session.
Labels: Kurdistan Coalition, Mahmoud Othman, Sadrist bloc
