Kuwait invites newly-elected Iraqi parliament chief for visit
Iraqi parliament speaker Mohamed al-Halbousi
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Kuwait has invited the newly-elected Iraqi parliament speaker, Mohamed al-Halbousi, to visit the kingdom, his office reportedly said on Wednesday as the Iraqi parliament struggles to determine the bloc which will form the next government.
Hablousi’s office, according to Shafaq News website, said the parliament chief received a phone call from his Kuwaiti counterpart, Matzouk al-Ghanem, in which the latter congratulated Halbousi for his election.
The statement by Halbousi’s office said the call discussed mutual relations, adding that Ghanem invited Halbousi to visit Kuwait, which the Iraqi parliamentarian promised to do.
The Iraqi parliament elected Halbousi, a former governor of Anbar province, as a new chief after an internal poll on Saturday.
Based on a political agreement adopted since the ouster of late leader Saddam Hussein, Kurds assume Iraq’s presidency, Sunnis are entitled to parliament speaker, and Shias hold the prime minister’s office.
Iraq parliament elections, the first since the defeat of Islamic State militants, were held last May amid judicial challenges that prompted a recount of votes.
Halbusi is the leader of a minor list that is allied with the Islah and Emaar (Reform and Reconstruction), which comprises Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s and Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s lists.