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Iraq's Kurdish, Sunni groups reject
Jaafari as next PM
2.3.2006
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BAGHDAD (AFP) -
The Kurdish and Sunni political factions of Iraq are
opposed to incumbent Shiite Prime Minister Ibrahim
Jaafari staying on at his job in the next
government, top Kurdish and Sunni leaders said.
"The Kurdish and the Sunni groups think that he (Jaafari)
is not appropriate and they cannot form a cabinet
with him as he is not neutral," Mahmud Othman, a
senior Iraqi parliamentarian told AFP on Thursday.
Last month, Jaafari was re-selected for the post of
prime minister by Iraq's dominant Shiite United
Iraqi Alliance after it won 128 out of 275
parliamentary seats in the December general
elections.
Jaafari was narrowly reselected for the top job by
the Shiite religious-based parties, defeating Vice
President Adel Abdel Mahdi by just one vote.
But his candidacy is now opposed by the two key
political factions, including the Kurds who are part
of the outgoing government coalition and who control
53 seats in the new parliament and a Sunni-backed
alliance which controls 44 parliamentary seats. |
Dr.Mahmud Othman
Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari |
Othman said even former premier Iyad Allawi, who
controls 25 seats in the new parliament, has raised
objections to Jaafari's candidature.
"The Kurdish and the Sunni lists will ask the Shiite
list to revise their decision about him as the PM
candidate," Othman added.
"The prime minister should be somebody who is agreed
upon by everyone. They (Kurds and Sunnis) have
decided to talk to Shiites on this in the next
couple of days."
He said the two groups see Jaafari as an
unsuccessful premier last year, adding "they think
the experience with him has not been good and may
lead to similar problems in future."
One of the leaders of the main Sunni-based party
confirmed their objection to Jaafari's candidature.
"We have nothing against him (Jaafari) but his
performance has been below expectations," said Alaa
Maki, parliamentarian and senior leader of Islamic
Party, which is part of the National Concord Front
alliance.
"He was unable to control the security situation...
and what has happened in the last few days is a
proof of what we have said," he said referring to a
surge in violence across Iraq that has left hundreds
dead.
Maki said the government has been inefficient and he
(Jaafari) "should go and give his seat to someone
competent."
"It is not a Sunni question," Maki told AFP.
"It is a question of Iraq and we have to be unified
and have a common goal. Even the Shiite alliance
understands that it is a political question and not
a sectarian one," he said.
AFP
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