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The
Kurdish bloc that came second in last month's
elections will strike an alliance with the party
that most supports a federal and pluralist Iraq, a
leading Iraqi Kurdish official has said.
Masud Barzani, head of the Kurdistan Democratic
Party, made the pledge in an interview with Al-Arabiya
satellite channel on Monday.
"There are talks with various parties on steps to
form the government and other matters. The main
point for us is Iraq's identity and there can be no
compromise on the issue of a federal, democratic,
pluralist and united Iraq," said Barzani.
"Whoever is closest to these principles will be
preferred by us... We have good ties with everyone,
but the matter will be determined by the stances
that are taken on fundamental issues," he said.
Alliances
A two-thirds majority is needed in the 275-member
National Assembly to form a government - a margin no
coalition has yet achieved but could if it strikes
an alliance with another group.
The United Iraqi Alliance, the Shia-led religious
coalition that won the 30 January poll, has yet to
formally name its candidate for prime minister,
although the front runner is thought to be interim
Vice-President Ibrahim al-Jafari.
Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, whose coalition
came third, joined the running on Monday.
Jalal Talabani, leader of the Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan, has been chosen to represent the Kurdish
alliance in any government and hopes to become the
country's next president.
Independence on hold
While the Kurds have often talked about
independence, their aim now is to secure as much
power as possible under a federal Iraq and they will
bargain hard for as much autonomy as they can get in
the constitution to be drafted by the parliament.
"There will be differences but I am sure we will
reach agreement to draft a constitution which agrees
with the aims of all Iraqi parties," Barzani said.
"Sunnis made a big mistake when they boycotted the
election. I think it is necessary for them to
participate in drafting of the constitution," he
added.
Most Sunni Muslims in central Iraq did not vote
through a combination of a nation-wide boycott and
fear of attacks by anti-US fighters.
http://english.aljazeera.net
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