Leading presidential adviser denies Talabani’s concession of his post for Allawi

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The leading adviser to Iraq‘s President Jalal Talabani on Tuesday denied media reports that pointed out that President Talabani had agreed to achieve an American proposal about his concession of the post of presidency for a second term for former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, provided the President of the Kurdistan Region would not oppose such a proposal. “Such news is incorrect,” Fakhri Karim said, reiterating that “President Talabani is not a president in his personal name, but he is a candidate of the Kurdish People and the Kurdish Leadership.” “Mr. Masoud Barzani and all members of the Kurdistan Parties have reaffirmed in a recent meeting the nomination of Talabani for the Presidency, being a basic condition they would never retreat from,” Karim said. “Jalal Talabani is the sole candidate for the Kurdistan Leadership and his presence at the head of the State is a national right, because the Kurds are the second community in Iraq (after the Arabs),” he said, adding that “Talabani’s nomination was not issued by the Kurds alone, but also by the National Coalition, being the largest bloc, chairman and leadership of whom expressed support for Jalal Talabani‘s nomination for a second Presidency period.” SKH/SR 1