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Iraqi Political Leaders Meet But Political Deadlock Remains

   VOA News 08 November 2010
   Leaders of Iraq's main political blocs, front row, from left to right:
   former Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jafari, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri
   al-Maliki,  Iraqi  President  Jalal  Talabani  and  former Iraqi Prime
   Minister Ayad Allawi, are seen during their meet

Photo: AP

   Leaders of Iraq's main political blocs, front row, from left to right:
   former Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jafari, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri
   al-Maliki,  Iraqi  President  Jalal  Talabani  and  former Iraqi Prime
   Minister  Ayad  Allawi, are seen during their meeting in Irbil, a city
   in the Kurdish controlled north, north of Baghdad, Iraq, 8 Nov. 2010.

   Iraq's  most influential leaders are meeting in the Kurdish north, but
   it  is  unclear  if  the  talks  can  bring  an end to eight months of
   political deadlock.
   Kurdish  regional  President  Masoud  Barzani  welcomed Prime Minister
   Nouri  al-Maliki and former prime minister Ayad Allawi to Irbil Monday
   for talks aimed at forming a government. Â
   Barzani  called  the  meeting  a milestone moment, but the current and
   former  prime ministers showed few indications they are ready to agree
   to any deal.
   Maliki   called   for   an   increased   effort   to   rebuild  Iraq's
   infrastructure,  while  Allawi talked about the need for real partners
   in political decision-making.
   Allawi's Sunni-backed Iraqiya alliance edged out Maliki's State of Law
   bloc in parliamentary elections in March, but so far both parties have
   failed in their attempts to form a government.
   Some  politicians  have been telling media sources that both sides are
   close  to a power-sharing deal.  Others have denied any deal has been
   reached.
   U.S.  Secretary  of  State  Clinton refused to answer questions Monday
   about  whether  a deal was in place.  But she told reporters during a
   visit  to  Melbourne,  Australia the time has come for Iraq to finally
   form what she called an inclusive government
   During  a  town  hall-style  meeting  Sunday  in  Mumbai,  India, U.S.
   President  Barack  Obama  said  it was taking "way too long" for Iraqi
   leaders to form the country's government.
   Iraq's  Supreme  Court last month ordered the parliament to resume its
   sessions and elect a new leader.
   Several Iraqi human rights groups have filed a lawsuit in an effort to
   force  members  of  Iraq's  parliament  to return at least $40 million
   received  in salaries since elected in March.  The group says it will
   launch a legal battle against the 325 lawmakers who have convened only
   once since the March 7 polls - for a 20-minute swearing-in session.

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

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