Iraqi PM pledges to end gov''t crisis within a week

By Mohammad Al-Ghazzi BAGHDAD, Jan 27 (KUNA) -- While the Sunni Iraqi Accord Front (IAF) announced resumption of participation in government, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki pledged Sunday to end the government crisis triggered by the defections of major coalition partners.
Talks between the United Iraqi Alliance, led by Al-Kalili who is also chairman of the Islamic Dawa Party, and the IAF, led by Adnan Al-Duleimi, will start later Sunday.
"The political process in Iraq saw most welcome positive developments in the last few days," Al-Maliki said in an interview with Al-Forat satellite channel owned by Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC) -- a major coalition partner.
"The Presidential Council gave me a two-week ultimatum to convince the other partners to rejoin the governing coalition or reshuffle the government (a week ago)," he disclosed.
"There is one week remaining of the ultimatum," Al-Maliki noted, voicing confidence of the prospects to settle the crisis within this period.
Meanwhile, he said in case a new government was formed, new criterions other than quota system would be adopted.
Al-Maliki made the remarks following his participation in a meeting of the Iraqi National Security Council.
The meeting was also attended by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, vice presidents Adil Abdulmahdi and Tariq Al-Hashimi, and Parliament Speaker Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani, as well as envoy of president of semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan and representatives of the major blocs in the parliament.
The meeting highlighted the importance of pushing forward the national reconciliation process and the political process in the country, according to a statement issued by the Presidential Council.
The leaders of the major political forces agreed to unify their discourses with a view to consolidating the values of national unity, the statement underlined.
The move aims to minimize the differences between them over disputable issues.
It is in line with efforts to build on the achievements made in the economic and security fields in Iraq, the statement added.
For his part the IAF chairman Adnan Al-Duleimi said bloc accepted in principle to participate in the government after six-month defection as a result of the government response to a number of "our demands." However he hinged full participation on the success of the talks that would start today.
The talks will focus on efforts to consolidate the ruling coalition and push forward the political process, Abdulkarim Al-Samerra'e, an SIIC leader told KUNA.
The IAF withdrew its five ministers and Deputy Prime Minister Salam Al-Zubai from the government in August 2007, but Minister of Planning Ali Baban rejoined the government later as an independent minister. (end) mhg.gb KUNA 271701 Jan 08NNNN