Delay of national conference after Arab Summit is “a fiasco”, MP

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com:  Kurdish Alliance MP Mahmoud Othman excluded the postponement of the National Conference to a date after the coming Arab Summit. Othman told IraqiNews.com that “any delay that might happen is a political failure which will negatively affect the success of the summit”. He pointed out that “if the blocs were able to unite their demands in one working paper, then it will be a real progress for convening the national conference, otherwise, they will need more time”. Othman added that the delay of the national conference after the Arab Summit, due in March next, is “a political fiasco that will negatively affect the Arab Summit itself”. Iraq is witnessing an acute crisis along the accusations made against Hashimi for “terrorism” and the move to demote al-Mutlaq from his post; both are leading members in opponent Iraqiya bloc.   In an attempt to solve the crisis, President Jalal Talabani suggested holding a national conference for all political blocs to find a way out. RM   It is expected a meeting shall be held today, Sunday, where Iraqiya bloc MPs disclosed they are trying to include Hashimi and Mutlaq cases in the agendas of the preparatory meeting and the national conference, while the National Alliance rejected these ideas as “an attempt to make the conference a failure”.