Iraqi VP wants dialogue with militants

BAGHDAD, March 21 (UPI) -- Iraqi Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi said his government needs to establish dialogue with insurgents, excluding al-Qaida, to work toward peace.

In an interview with the BBC, Hashemi said all factions of warring Sunni and Shiite Muslims "should be invited, should be called to sit down around the table to discuss their fears, their reservations."

He said the al-Qaida group appeared bent solely on terror and was "not very much willing in fact to talk to anybody."

Hashemi said the sectarian divisiveness was hampering political development and the goal of democracy, and suggested an interim solution.

"(It) might be that the Iraqis need to be convinced that to break up this polarization we have to go for, first of all, election system reform and second, to go for early elections," he said.

Hashemi is a Sunni. Last year his sister and two of his brothers were killed by Shiite insurgents, the report said.