Wall Street Journal: Allawi Warms to Maliki

[tjimpala]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704696304575538284084915178.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

BAGHDAD—Ayad Allawi, the top vote-getter in Iraq's inconclusive March polls, suggested in an interview Thursday that he could join Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in a power-sharing deal pushed by the U.S., if several conditions are met.

Late last week, Mr. Maliki won the backing of Muqtada al Sadr, an anti-U.S. Shiite cleric whom American authorities hope to see excluded from a significant government role. Mr. Sadr's support significantly boosts Mr. Maliki's chances of winning the parliamentary majority that he needs to form a new government.

Mr. Allawi, whose own slate edged out Mr. Maliki's by two seats in March parliamentary polls, hasn't been able to cobble together his own majority, leaving Iraq in political limbo.

In Mr. Allawi's first interview since the Maliki-Sadr tie-up, the former prime minister said he had agreed to restart power-sharing talks with Mr. Maliki that were broken off last month—but only if all top posts, including who serves as prime minister, are on the table for discussion.

Officials close to Mr. Maliki couldn't be reached for comment. A member of his parliamentary bloc, Adnan al-Sarraj, said the premiership was non-negotiable and belonged to Mr. Maliki.

Mr. Allawi also called for a host of other issues to be discussed, including handing some powers from the prime minister to other positions. He called for discussion of a road map for resolving some of the country's most divisive issues, such as internal borders and the sharing of oil revenue and resources among the central government and regions and provinces.

Mr. Allawi said he was awaiting a proposal from Mr. Maliki about talks at the behest of U.S. officials, including Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William J. Burns, who was in Baghdad on Wednesday and met with both men.

Mr. Allawi said he was also still pursuing a parallel track that involves assembling a rival coalition that could sideline Mr. Maliki's. He said he thinks he could muster enough coalition partners to at least match Mr. Maliki's current numbers.

The U.S. has pushed a plan for a unity government in which a new, powerful federal position is created to balance the powers of the prime minister.

"If the memorandum is handed over and we are convinced by it, then we begin talks and end with naming who gets what in terms of positions in the country," said Mr. Allawi. "But now there are no names; there are just suggestions being floated, nothing specific."

Changes to Iraq's system could require legislative approval or constitutional amendments. A spokesman for the U.S. embassy in Baghdad declined comment on discussions among Messrs. Burns, Allawi and Maliki.

U.S. Ambassador James F. Jeffrey said earlier this week that Washington had no preferred candidate for the premiership nor was acting as mediator to help assemble a governing coalition. But he said the U.S. stood ready to help end the impasse and stand up "an inclusive government."

The coalition between Messrs. Maliki and Sadr is virtually all Shiite, while Allawi's bloc is almost three-quarters Sunni. The U.S. believes a broad unity government formed from both sides and the Kurdish bloc best reflects the election results.

[Maynard57]

Great post.

The Truth is out there - and this article is hovering right over it.

Maynard

[ktlamm]

Great post thanks alot and God Bless

[thegente]

Thank you!

Edited October 8, 2010 by thegente

[wmawhite]

Great post.

The Truth is out there - and this article is hovering right over it.

Maynard

WOW.........I hope and pray you are correct!!!

[Guest Ratatap]

tjimpala - I thank you for the post. Lets hope that Allawi and Maliki can work together and get this done for the sake of the Iraqi people.

GO RV !!!!!!!!