Al-Iraqiya Bloc describes statements regarding VP Abdul-Mahdi’s PM post’s nomination as “wishful thoughts”

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Spokesman for Al-Iraqiya Bloc, led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, Mamsoun Damalouji, has described the statements by some of the bloc’s Members of Parliament, regarding the nomination of Vice-President, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, for the new prime minister‘s post as “mere wishful thoughts.” “Al-Iraqiya does not want to surpass the events; because we have a full agreement with the Supreme Islamic Council towards the national scheme, without the discussion of distributing the posts,” Damalougi told IraqiNews.com News Agency. She pointed out that “the statements by some of Al-Iraqiya leadeships and parliament members towards the official position of the Abdul-Mahdi’s nomination for the new prime minister‘s post does not exceed being personal viewpoints and ‘mere wishful thoughts.” Al-Iraqiya Member, Alia Nuseif, had announced on 13/9/2010 her bloc’s support for Abdul-Mahdi’s nomination for the prime minister‘s post, being the candidate of the National Coalition, “provided that the Coalition presents mechanisms that guarantee the authorities granting al-Iraqiya to practice its government programme, according to its constitutional rights.” Meanwhile, Vice-President Tareq al-Hashimi, who is one of al-Iraqiya’s leading members had stated that al-Iraqiya had nominated Abdul-Mahdi for the prime minister‘s post, following his previous agreement to commit to its reform and change scheme, based on pure national calculations, pointing out that al-Iraqiya had found that the national interest demands to be objected towards its constitutional right for the benefit of Abdul-Mahdi’s nomination for the post. Damalougi said: “al-Iraqiya was waiting for Abdul-Mahdi to return from Arbil, in order to reach an official position for the interest of the said scheme, through discussing the practical mechanisms to practice the initiative of Kurdistan Region’s President, Massoud Barzani, to hold a meeting for the political forces in Arbil in order to put an end for the the crisis of the formation of the new government. Abdul-Mahdi had visited Arbil two days ago, where he discussed formation of the new government with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and a number of Kurdish official. Barzani had stated during a meeting held in Arbil on 16/9/2010 with a delegation representing different Kurdistan blocs, his initiative to solve the crisis of forming the new government, reiterating according to media sources, to divide the authorities and lay the basis for national compromises, as well as the participation by all leading blocs that won the Iraqi elections in a government of national-participation. SKH 1