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Iraqiya Lawmakers Vow to Remain in Iraqi Government

14 November 2010 03:42 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Iraq’s Sunni-backed Iraqiya bloc has told parliament it will remain in the new power-sharing government, in spite of a walkout this week and angry comments from the party’s leader, APA reports quoting â€œThe Voice of Americaâ€.

Iraqiya spokesman Haider al-Mulla told lawmakers Saturday that the party will take an active role in the formation of a national unity government. He said a "misunderstanding" prompted Iraqiya lawmakers to walk out of the last session on Thursday.

About two-thirds of Iraqiya’s 91 lawmakers walked out Thursday, saying their demands had not been met. In a Friday interview with CNN, Iraqiya’s leader, former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, declared the concept of power-sharing "dead." He also said some members of his Iraqiya coalition might join the new government, but he said most, including himself, will not be part of it.

The Reuters news agency says Mr. Allawi skipped Saturday’s parliamentary session and traveled to London.

Thursday’s walkout took place the same day that parliament took a significant step forward in ending an eight-month political stalemate. The lawmakers re-elected Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani as president. He, in turn, nominated Shi’ite incumbent Nouri al-Maliki to retain his position as prime minister.

Earlier Thursday, parliament members elected Iraqiya member Osama al-Nujaifi as speaker. A power-sharing plan calls for Mr. Allawi to lead a newly created committee overseeing national security (the National Council for Strategic Policies).

Iraqiya won the most seats in March elections but was not able to gain enough support from other parties to create a majority coalition.

Iraqiya’s inability to find political partners allowed Mr. Maliki, who partnered with anti-American Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in an Iranian-backed coalition, to gain momentum and support.