Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (L) speaks with Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak during their meeting at the presidential palace in Cairo
Iraq to form new govt. soon: Maliki
October 20, 2010.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says discussions among Iraq's political parties are close to an end, adding that a new coalition will emerge in the near future.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo on Wednesday, Maliki said that Iraq, which has broken the world's record for the amount of time taken to form a new government, would "soon" have a new government.
"Discussions are taking place, we are now at the end of the tunnel, at the end of the road," said Maliki, who is on a regional tour to Syria, Jordan and Iran reportedly to win support for his second term in office.
Maliki's visit to Egypt comes as Cairo had earlier expressed support for Maliki's main rival for premiership, Iyad Allawi whose al-Iraqiya alliance.
The Iraqi prime minister went on to reiterate that the formation of a new government in Iraq is an internal issue and denounced other countries interferences.
"Iraq wants friendly countries to stand by our side, but at the same time we do not want anyone to interfere in the process of forming our new government," Maliki said, adding that outside states should be impartial.
Maliki's Shia bloc is just four seats short of an absolute majority in the 325-seat Council of Representatives has already gained the support of Moqtada Sadr's Iraqi National Alliance. The bloc is now in need of the support of Shia Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council, headed by Ammar al-Hakim, to form a new government.
Maliki has vowed to call on regional states to help rebuild the war-torn country if he remains in power.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/147523.html
