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Coalitions Talks in Iraq Collapse

   VOA News 16 August 2010
   Acting  speaker  Fouad  Massoum,  left,  speaks  to  the  press as his
   colleague  Hassan  Al-Shammari  looks  on during a press conference in
   Baghdad, Iraq, 27 Jul 2010

Photo: AP

   Acting  speaker  Fouad  Massoum,  left,  speaks  to  the  press as his
   colleague  Hassan  Al-Shammari  looks  on during a press conference in
   Baghdad, Iraq, 27 Jul 2010

   Iraq's  two  main political coalitions broke off talks Monday aimed at
   ending a five-month-long political deadlock.
   A   spokeswoman   for   the  Sunni-backed  Iraqiya  alliance,  Maysoon
   al-Damaluji,  said  the  group  ended  negotiations.  She claimed the
   Shi'ite-dominated  State  of Law alliance labeled them as a Sunni bloc
   rather than cross-sectarian.
   The  fight over ethnic political standing comes as a group of activist
   organizations  filed a lawsuit Monday against parliament speaker Fouad
   Massum.  The groups are accusing him of violating the constitution by
   ordering  the  newly  elected  parliament,  which  convened 14 Jun, to
   remain  in  an  open-ended  session  until  a  political  agreement is
   reached.
   Former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi's Iraqiya alliance won the poll with
   91  seats  in the 7 March vote, while Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's
   State of Law alliance captured 89.  Both groups were far short of the
   163-seat majority needed to govern.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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