Severity of differences led to today’s meeting failure – MP

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com:  The Muwatin (Citizen) bloc MP attributed today’s failure in political blocs to the “severity of conflicts among them”. MP Abdul Hussein Abtan told IraqiNews.com that the meeting of heads of political blocs was held today, but “ended due to the severity of conflicts among them in addition to yesterday’s crisis between the Kurdish Alliance and MP Hussein al-Asadi”. Today’s meeting ended without results, when al-Iraqiya Bloc demanded the inclusion of vice-president Tariq al-Hashimi’s case within the agendas, close sources reported. “The cases of differences are numerous,” he added, hoping that a  national conference will be held “as soon as possible”. President Jalal Talabani and parliament speaker Usama Nujaifi agreed last month to hold a general national conference to include all political entities to discuss pertaining issues, government administration and finding suitable solutions. On the other hand, Kurdish region president Masoud Barzani called on 19 December last to hold an urgent national conference to “avoide the demolition of the political process”, pointing out that “the country is moving towards further tensions and governmental partnership becomes threatened”. RM (TS)/SR 209