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QALAJULAH, Iraq, March 2 (AFP) - 20h05 - The
frontrunning Shiite candidate for prime minister,
Ibrahim Jaafari, and Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani
professed optimism about forming Iraq's next
government after closed door talks Wednesday.
"We fought together against the dictator, and the
Kurdish people are very optimistic on future ties
with the United Iraqi Alliance (UIA) which has a
clear position on a federal, democratic, united and
independent Iraq," said Talabani, referring to
Jaafari's dominant Shiite political bloc.
Jaafari has "a realistic position in relation to
Kurdish demands," said Talabani, who wants the post
of Iraqi president.
The talks in the Kurdish mountain resort of
Qalajulah, 330 kilometresmiles) north of Baghdad,
culminated Jaafari's two-day tour of Kurdistan to
forge an alliance between the Kurds and the UIA,
which won 140 of the 275 seats in the new
parliament.
The discussions between Jaafari and Talabani came
amid mounting Shiite pressure for the Kurds, with 77
seats in the new parliament, to join a coalition
government.
The 275-seat national assembly requires a two-thirds
majority to select its president and his two
deputies.
Jaafari's number two official, Jawad Maliky, warned
Wednesday the parliament will be convened next week,
with or without agreement on a national government
line up.
For his part, Jaafari called his discussions with
Talabani "very good" and reiterated both sides
believed in the need for a government of national
unity, including Iraq's embittered Sunni minority.
The talks followed Jaafari's Tuesday meeting in
western Kurdistan with the Kurdish chieftain Massoud
Barzani.
In Baghdad Sunday, the Kurdish and Shiite political
lists started formal discussions on the terms of a
national government. Talibani's confidante national
interim deputy prime minister Barham Saleh told AFP
after the session there was "broad agreement."
One bone of contention between the parties is the
Kurds' insistence on a binding written agreement,
committing the next government to honouring all
clauses in the interim constitution, which was
drafted during the US-led occupation.
The Kurds fear the Shiite majority will try to
dilute the virtual autonomy they enjoy in the north,
which is enshrined in the interim constitution, and
fail to redress Saddam Hussein's purging of Kurds
from Kirkuk.
Meanwhile, in a boost to Talabani's chances for the
presidency, the head of a main Sunni political party
endorsed the Kurdish leader's bid for the ceremonial
post.
Mohsen Abdul Hamid, head of the Islamic Party,
visited Talabani Sunday and told reporters
afterwards he endorsed Talabani for the presidency.
"We support the candidacy of Talabani for the post
of president of the republic," Hamid said.
His words lessened some fears that handing the post
would anger Iraq's Sunni minority who dominated the
halls of power for most of modern Iraq's 84 year
history.
AFP
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