Iraq’s National Coalition denies its ignorance of NCSP.

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com – A member of Iraq ’s National Coalition, led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, on Saturday, denied that his coalition had ignored the National Council for Strategic Policies (NCSP), proposed by al-Iraqiya Coalition’s leader, Iyad Allawi.   “The Arbil Agreement (initiated by north Iraq Kurdistan’s President Massoud Barzani) had reiterated that all leading State posts, including ministries and State institutions, including newly-established ones, must be based on the constitution and the law,” Mohammed al-Seyhoud said.   But, he stressed, that “the draft-law, presented for the NCSP, had included several articles, ‘equal to the formation of a new government,’ along with the elected government.”   “The National Coalition had been wishing that the NCSP would render proposals to the government, and that the Council and its Chief would not enjoy the authorities of the Prime Minister,” Seyhoud said.   He added that “the National Coalition does not want to abolish the establishment of the NCSP, but the difference lies in its exclusion from the articles of the constitution, whilst we want it to act within its framework.” “Al-Iraqiya Coalition wants the NCSP to have allocations, employees and advisors, things that shall undermine the State’s budget,” Seyhoud said, adding that “Al-Iraqiya had complained from the large number of cabinet ministries that reached 42 posts, whilst its demands to form the NCSP shall lead to further increase in such expenditures.”   Noteworthy is that the Spokeswoman for al-Iraqiya Coalition, Maysound al-Damalouji, had told IraqiNews.com last Thursday that al-Iraqiya Leader, Iyad Allawi, had cancelled the proposal to lead the NCSP, because of “the tactic of ‘postponement,’ followed against the Council’s formation,” reconfirming that the Coalition would remain in some cabinet posts, to render services for the Iraqi citizens.   An al-Iraqiya media spokesman, meanwhile, had confirmed that al-Iraqiya Coalition’s Leader, Iyad Allawi, had officially announced his abundance of the NCSP Chief’s post. RT / SKH