No movement seen in Iraqi election talks

BAGHDAD, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Iraqi political leaders were expected to resume negotiations to seek a compromise that would allow provincial elections to proceed this year.

Representatives from various Iraqi political blocs met last weekend at the Baghdad home of Massoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Regional Government, trying to fashion an election law compromise, The New York Times reported Monday.

Lawmakers have been trying to reach an agreement on a measure that would govern Iraqi provincial council elections. Efforts have been mired in disagreements on the ethnically mixed city of Kirkuk. The Kurds want to maintain their dominance in the city, pitting them against Turkmen and Sunni Arabs, the Times said.

"The Tawafiq front is not happy or satisfied about these negotiations because they did not reach an agreement," said Salim al-Jabouri, a member of Tawafiq, the largest Sunni bloc in parliament.

Among those attending Sunday's meeting were Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker and a delegate from the United Nations, the Times said.

U.S. pressure has bothered some participants, with Mahmoud Othman, an independent Kurdish legislator telling the Times it is "interfering in an inappropriate way with the Iraqis."