Anbar, Kirkuk expressed support of my case – Hashimi

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi Vice-President Tariq al-Hashimi disclosed today that a number of elders and tribal sheikhs of Anbar and Kirkuk provinces expressed their support and solidarity with his case. In a statement issued by his temporary office, it noted that Hashimi received in Kurdistan two large delegations from Anbar and Kirkuk‘s elders and tribal sheikhs, where they expressed their solidarity against “the campaign carried out against him”. Iraq is witnessing an acute crisis following accusations made against Hashimi of “terrorism” and the move to demote al-Mutlaq from his post; both of whom are leading members in opposition al-Iraqiya Bloc. In an attempt to resolve the crisis, President Jalal Talabani suggested holding a National Conference for all political blocs to come to an agreeable solution. A meeting is expected to be held tomorrow, Sunday, where al-Iraqiya Bloc MPs disclosed they are trying to include Hashimi and Mutlaq cases in the agendas of the preparatory meeting and the National Conference, while the National Alliance rejected these ideas as “an attempt to make the conference a failure”. RM (TI)/SR 934