Talabani’s call step closer to roundtable – INA member

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: A call launched by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani to the political blocs in Iraq to attend a “political banquet” is a “step in the direction of holding a roundtable meeting”, according to a member of the Iraqi National Alliance (INA) on Thursday. “The banquet helped create a positive atmosphere in the Iraqi arena in general and would help take steps closer towards a roundtable meeting,” Muwaffaq al-Rubaie told IraqiNews.com news agency. The INA chief, Sayyed Ammar al-Hakeem, who is also the leader of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC), had called last month on the political powers to sit at a roundtable meeting to discuss ways to form a new government in war-torn Iraq. Talabani’s banquet was attended by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, parliament speaker Iyad al-Samarraie and Jawad al-Bulani as well as a leaders and representatives of other political blocs. AmR (P) 2