Best solution for current crisis is forming majority govt, says MP
08/06/2012 11:44
ERBIL, June 8 (AKnews)- Efforts to replace the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki have failed and the best solution for the current crisis is forming the majority government, a State of Law Coalition (SLC) MP said.
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani does not support the idea of replacing Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and he declared his position when recently a SLC delegation met him, said Nada al-Sudani.
Sudani said the SLC delegation, led by Hassan Sned and Abdul-Hameed Zuhri, met with the president to congratulate him for the foundation anniversary of his Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).
She cited the president as saying he does not support withdrawing confidence from Maliki while he stressed the number of the signatures to replace the PM has not reached the legal quorum.
A number of political leaders initiated the campaign to replace Maliki, whom they described as a "dictator." Among them are Kurdistan's President Massoud Barzani, Iraqiya List Leader Ayad Allawi and Sadr Current Leader Muqtada al-Sadr.
The three leaders met three times in Erbil, Najaf and Suli, respectively, first to warn Maliki to stop his "unilateral" ruling and then to ask the National Alliance (NA) to name a new candidate for the PM post.
With no response from the NA, Iraqiya MPs have staged a signature campaign to withdraw confidence from Maliki.
Allegedly the number of signatures has exceeded the legal (164) quorum. A few days ago Maliki demanded Talabani to verify the number and the president ordered a committee to follow up the case. The committee is yet to announce its report.
SLC MP Sudani said the efforts to withdraw confidence from Maliki "have failed… so far few MPs have signed….to implement the regional agendas."
Sudani referred to Sadr's visit to Iran as a "strong sign" for the failure of efforts against Maliki.
She added "finally all should return for national conference or the stage before the Erbil agreement and review all the three presidencies [of republic, government and House of Representatives."
Erbil agreement signed in late 2010 gave way for creation of Iraqi government after nine months of impasse. Maliki was reinstated and Allawi whose Iraqiya List won the majority was promised a National Council for Strategic Policies.
Failure to install the new council generated incriminations between SLC and Iraqiya. This followed by a wide arrest campaign against the alleged Baath party members, most of whom Iraqiya members, deepened the crisis.
At this stage Talabani invited the parties for an emergency national conference but negotiations for holding the conference which lasted almost three months were interrupted by calls to replace Maliki.
Now the NA renews calls for the national conference.
Sudani said the NA, Kurds and many Iraqiya MPs believe that the partnership national government has failed.
She continued "therefore, the SLC believes the majority government either for this stage or for the stage following this round is the best solution for Iraq."
The SLC MP confirmed that on the first session of the MPs on June 21 her party will demand the House of Representatives to withdraw confidence from House Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi "for a number of legal and constitutional violations and procrastination in ratifying some important bills."
Nujaifi who is also a leader in the Iraqiya List was among the leaders who signed to withdraw confidence from SLC leader, PM Maliki.
By Mohammed Abdul-Rahman
LL/AKnews
