Reply #5: Iraqi President Tries to Save Government

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Iraqi President Tries to Save Government

By HAMZA HENDAWI
The Associated Press
Tuesday, July 31, 2007; 1:46 PM

BAGHDAD -- Iraq's Kurdish president was fighting Thursday
to save the Shiite-dominated government from possible
collapse, wheedling key Sunni Arab politicians to set aside
threats to quit the Cabinet and counseling the prime minister
to "seriously consider" their demands.

President Jalal Talabani also warned of "negative consequences"
if the six Cabinet ministers from the Iraqi Accordance Front
leave Nouri al-Maliki's 14-month-old government.

He did not elaborate, but the withdrawal of the Accordance
Front's ministers could erase the government's "national unity"
status and diminish its legitimacy _ a serious blow at a time
when it needs to move swiftly on legislation the United States
considers critical to the reconciliation of Iraq's Shiite, Sunni
Arab and Kurdish factions.

-snip-

Talabani has said the demands were "mostly fair," acknowledged
there were government failures but criticized the Front for
publicizing its rift with al-Maliki.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/31/AR2007073100987.html