BAGHDAD - Iraq’s political leaders held ”cordial but candid” talks on Saturday in an attempt to revive national reconciliation efforts and repair the fractured unity government. The five leaders, representing Iraq’s majority Shia Muslims, Sunni Arabs and Kurds, met for about 90 minutes and are expected to meet again on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih told Reuters. It was the first time they had met for two months.“The meeting was cordial but characterised by candid discussion of the issues and a sense of responsibility to resolve the political crisis afflicting the country,” Salih said. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki attended the talks with President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, Sunni Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, Shia Vice President Adel Abdul-Mahdi, and Masoud Barzani, president of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.
| "Tea, Tariq?" "Yes, thank you, Nuri." "Jalal, can I get you some biscotti?" "If it's not too much of a bother, Adel." "Hot out, isn't it?" |