Maliki, Sunnis, Sadr

by IOL (reposted)

Wed, Apr 30, 2008 7:35PM

BAGHDAD — Many Sunnis are optimistic that underway negotiations to bring back their parties into the Shiite-led government would end simmering sectarian tensions, while some Shiites are skeptical this would undermine their new-found political clout.

"It is time to have only one power in Iraq," parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, a lawmaker from the main Sunni political bloc, told IslamOnline.net.

"Ordinary Iraqis are the ones who suffer from this divide."

Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki said on Wednesday, April 30, he would soon submit to parliament a list of Sunni ministers who would join his government.

He has been negotiating with Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi, a Sunni Arab, the re-inclusion of Sunni political parties in his Shiite-dominated government.

Maliki has been talking for months about tangible progress toward reseating members of the National Accordance Front in the government.

The Sunni bloc withdrew its six ministers from the cabinet last August, accusing Maliki of denying them a saying in decision-making and dragging his feet on dismantling Shiite militias and death squads.

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For more information: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satelli...

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