Hakim, Emir of Qatar review bilateral ties, Iraq govt. crisis

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council Chief Ammar al-Hakim paid a lightning visit to Qatar, where he met with Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani to discuss bilateral relations and Iraq’s government formation crisis, according to the SIIC web site on Sunday. “Hakim’s short several hours’ visit to the State of Qatar was paid on Saturday evening upon an official invitation from Sheikh Hamad,” the web site quoted Hakim’s office as saying. Iraq’s March 7 legislative elections had resulted in the victory of main Iraqi political blocs as Iyad Allawi’s Iraqiya obtained 91 seats, followed by Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law with 89 seats, Hakim’s Iraqi National Alliance (INA) with 70 seats and the Kurdistan Alliance of Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barazani and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani as well as a number of Kurdish Islamic parties with 57 seats. AmR (P) 1