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| Iraq |
| IraqiÂ’s Allawi has reservations on new govt |
| 2010-11-17 |
| LONDON - The head of Iraq’s main Sunni-backed political group said he did not expect a recent accord aimed at ending political infighting between the country’s main factions to lead to a stable government. Iyad Allawi, leader of the secular Iraqiya bloc, said the planned new government was not the power-sharing government that it had been billed as. “The formula for power sharing has been distorted and the issue of devolution has been distorted so I am not sure whether a coherent government (can be formed),” he told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday. “Still we have some time to discuss issues and to see if this will happen or not,” he added. When asked if the government could last long, he said: “No”. He said he would not join a new cabinet. “I am not going to be part, in any case, of the council of ministers. It is not currently suggested or offered or the Iraqiya list want me to be a member”. Allawi said he had not decided whether to accept a new senior new role offered to him, presumably the head of a yet-to-be-created policy council. This position was created for him as means of breaking the political deadlock between the Sunni, majority Shi’ite and Kurdish blocs that has left Iraq without a government for months. However, Allawi downplayed the walk-out from parliament by members of his bloc last week, saying the disagreements behind it had been settled. He said he would not return to Baghdad for the opening of parliament on Nov. 21. |
| Posted by:Steve White |