Iraq Sunni party drafts new political principles

.Above: The major players -- Nuri al-Maliki (Prime Minister, Shiite), Tariq al-Hashemi (one of two Vice Presidents, Sunni), Moqtada al-Sadr ('fiery' anti-American cleric, Shiite), Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim (head of the largest Shiite coalition), Jalal Talabani (President of Iraq, Kurd, Qadiri Sufi sect of Sunnism), and Massoud Barzani (President of Iraqi Kurdistan, Naqshbandi Sufi sect of Sunnisim). The largest Sunni bloc recently returned to parliament after Mahmud Mashhadani was reinstated as speaker, but has withdrawn its cabinet ministers from Maliki's cabinet. Sadr's parliamentary bloc withdrew from Maliki's cabinet in April and withdrew from the largest Shiite coalition this month. Sadr recently announced a suspension of militia activies by his Mahdi Army following clashes in Karbala which left over 50 dead. Maliki recently announced a new coalition involving al-Hakim and Talabani, but noticeably lacking Sunnis. Not pictured: Ayad Allawi, former interim Prime Minister of Iraq prior to the 2005 legislative elections, who has been maneuvering behind the scenes to replace Maliki.

The largest Sunni Arab party in Iraq unveiled a set of political principles on Wednesday that it said would hopefully unite the country's feuding politicians.

Senior officials in the Iraqi Islamic Party told a news conference that copies of the platform, called "The Iraqi National Compact", would be given to all political parties as well as senior clerics and neighbouring countries...

Vice president and leader of the Islamic Party, Tareq al-Hashemi, said the 25 principles aimed to remove deep mistrust among politicians...

The Islamic Party is part of the Sunni Accordance Front, which pulled out of the government early last month, accusing Maliki of ignoring their demands, which included a greater say in security affairs and the release of detainees.

Hashemi suggested international and regional bodies such as the United Nations or the Arab League could act as guarantors of the 25 principles, although he did not elaborate.

Read the rest at Reuters/Alternet

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