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| Iraq |
| Iraqi leaders begin coalition talks |
| 2010-11-09 |
| [Al Jazeera] Iraqi politicians have begun a meeting aimed at breaking an eight-month deadlock over the formation of a new government and assure Nouri al-Maliki, Iraq's incumbent prime minister, a second term in office. Monday's meeting, hosted by Massoud Barzani, the Kurdish regional president, in the Kurdish capital Irbil, is expected to last for two days and will aim to create a government of national unity, including Shias, Sunnis and Kurds. Iraq has been without a government since elections on March 7, when the Sunni dominated Iraqiya bloc won 91 seats and al-Maliki's State of Law took 89. Despite months of political horse-trading and backroom negotiations, neither side has been able to secure a governing majority in the parliament, leaving the country in political paralysis. Many analysts say the next government needs a component that represents the country's minority Sunnis if it is going to try and heal old sectarian wounds. They argue that excluding Iraqiya from power could anger its Sunni voters and reinvigorate a Sunni backlash. US pressure Hillary Clinton, ... sometimes described as the Smartest Woman in the World and at other times as Mrs. Bill... the US secretary of state, said on Monday that the US hopes Iraq's political factions are near the end of their haggling and close to forming an inclusive government that represents all interests. "It is fair to say that we have been consistently urging the Iraqis to have an inclusive government that reflects the interests and needs of the various segments of the population, that there had to be legitimate power-sharing amongst different groups and individuals," Clinton said. |
| Posted by:Fred |