Al-Maliki courts coalition partners ahead of March vote

Baghdad - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Sunday said the "door would remain open" to new coalitions after the results of the March 7 parliamentary elections are announced. "Alliances must be struck for a government to be formed," al-Maliki said in remarks carried by the Iraqi state news agency.

"Alliances with the (former prime minister Ayad Allawi's) Iraqi National Coalition or the Kurdish Coalition will be necessary for nation-building, especially since these groups have historic ties which are needed ... for the sake of national unity," he said.

He further warned opponents against "putting pressure on the will of the voters through threats, jeopardizing the voting process," and against outlawed groups' striking alliances with popular preachers.

"The next government will be a political majority government," al-Maliki predicted.

"It is not necessary for everyone who wins in the elections to be a member of the executive authority. One of the most important factors that detracted from the achievements of the current government is that some ministers participating in the beginning did not posses enough understanding to get along with the head of government, and they committed unprofessional transgressions," he said.

Al-Maliki also describe Iraq's relationship with Syria as "heading for the better."

"As the atmosphere improves, there is less need to talk about international courts. There are more shared interests to bring the two countries closer than there are reasons for souring the relationship," he said.

After coordinated truck bombings killed some 100 people and wounded more than 500 more last August, al-Maliki accused Syria of not doing enough to stop Iraqi Baathists in Damascus from plotting the attacks, and requested a UN investigation.

Each country withdrew its ambassador from the other in the ensuing diplomatic row, which coincided with a split in al-Maliki's coalition over whether he should be named as the prime minister should they form a government after the elections.

"We welcome a return of good relations between all Arab and Islamic countries and the efforts in that direction since stability was achieved," al-Maliki said Sunday.

"We will make conflict-resolution and the development of relations built on mutual respect and shared interests our priority for the coming period," he concluded.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/311758,al-maliki-courts-coalition-partners-ahead-of-march-vote.html.