Turkish FM Davutoglu met with former Iraqi PM and head of the Iraqi National Reform Trend Ibrahim al-Jaafari over breakfast in Turkish capital.8/10/2010
Iraq''s Jaafari says naming PM still key obstacle
ANKARA, Aug 10 (KUNA) -- Visiting former Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari said here Tuesday naming a new Iraqi premier is still a stumbling block to a settlement to the political row in the country.
Speaking at a news conference following a meeting with several Turkish officials in Ankara, Al-Jaafari, a member of National Iraqi Alliance, said he had briefed the Turkish side on ongoing efforts to put a stop to the current political vacuum in Iraq.
The key unsettled issue is the naming of a new Iraqi prime minister, he said, noting that his alliance attaches much attention to this issue.
He said although his political force has entered into an alliance with the State of Law, led by outgoing Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, he insists that a new premier should be up to responsibility and able to restore security and stability as well as to ensure national unity in Iraq.
Earlier in the day, Al-Jaafari met Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on the latest political developments in Iraq.
He is expected to meet Turkish President Abdullah Gul in Istanbul later on to reflect on bilateral relations and how to put an end to the political stalemate in Iraq.
Last week, government spokesman Ali Al-Dabbagh visited Turkey in his capacity as Al-Maliki's personal envoy. Ankara has also recently received several Iraqi figures as part of efforts to resolve the political row in Iraq.
In the recent Iraqi general polls, the Iraqiya List won 91 seats out of the parliament's 325 seats, while the State of Law Coalition won 89, the National Iraqi Alliance garnered 70 seats, and the Iraqi Kurdish Alliance got 43 seats.
The debate between the leading political blocs over who should head the government has hindered the formation of a new cabinet in the country.
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