Iraqi reconciliation talks slated

BAGHDAD, March 25 (UPI) -- A bloc of Iraqi political parties affiliated with former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said they were preparing for a national reconciliation conference in April.

The Iraqi National List, which counts Allawi's Iraqi National Accord Party among its components, boycotted a reconciliation conference March 18 calling it an example of "government propaganda" that lacked any real purpose other than to publicize the work of "certain political parties."

Members who attended the conference said in a statement that it was imperative to reach reconciliation for the sake or "Iraq's unity and territorial integrity," Voices of Iraq reported.

An official with the Iraqi National Accord, Rasem al-Awwadi, said the April conference would "focus on the country's problems including the cabinet reshuffle and the repercussions of the absence of one-third of the ministers on the political and security aspects."

Awwadi said his bloc was making preparations for the April reconciliation conference because of the "apparent failure" of the Iraqi government to reach a political consensus.