Iraq Press Roundup

Opinions vary on dissolving Parliament

A Sunni lawmaker and top candidate for the position of speaker of Parliament said the president of the government has the right to dissolve the Iraqi Parliament, al-Sabaah reported Thursday.

Ayad al-Samarrai with the Iraqi Accordance Front, one of the contenders for speaker, said Parliament could disband even if conditions for such a measure are not outlined in the Iraqi Constitution. The three-member presidential council, however, has the authority to dissolve the legislative body should sufficient reasons emerge, he said.

Samarrai accused his counterparts of trying to delay the appointment of speaker. That position was vacated when Mahmoud Mashhadani stepped down from the post in December.

Lawmakers have delayed the vetting process for a new speaker several times. Samarrai said that despite the urgency of finding a replacement candidate, there was no indication one would be made soon.

The dispute has prompted calls from lawmakers to disband Parliament. IAF spokesman Saleem al-Jabouri said Parliament is no longer competent, adding various parties lack respect for national law and are using the legislative body to seek narrow goals.

Sadrist lawmaker Nassar al-Rubaie, however, voiced opposition to dissolving Parliament, as did Kurdish lawmaker Mahmoud Othman, who said such a move did not serve the interests of the country.

Strengthening the relationship between Iran and Iraq

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani met with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki in Baghdad to discuss strengthening relations between the two countries, al-Ittihad reported Thursday.

Talabani briefed the Iranian minister on ways to develop ties in a variety of sectors that are in the interests of both countries, the report said.

The president, a Kurd, also expressed interest in cooperating with Iran in the economic and trade sectors.

Mottaki, for his part, called for stronger ties in the energy and oil sector.

Mottaki arrived in Baghdad Tuesday on a three-day visit of the country. He plans to visit later with religious leaders in the Shiite holy city of Najaf and with Abdul Aziz al-Hakim with the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council.

Solidarity among political powers

Sheik Ahmed Abu Risha, the leader of the Anbar Awakening Council, said leaders in Anbar province would go forward with assisting the central government in Baghdad, al-Mada reported Thursday.

The Sunni leader denied allegations that there were intentions to form a federal region in western Iraq. He added that the new government in Anbar province, which came to power from the provincial elections, would include all parties and slates.

He noted his Awakening Council had formed a strong alliance with rivals in the Iraqi National List of former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and the Iraqi National Dialogue Front of Saleh al-Mutlaq, among others.

Relations between members of the Awakening Councils and incumbent rivals in the Iraqi Islamic Party approached violence in the period surrounding the elections, but Abu Risha said his party was willing to ally with any party that was not linked to fraud.

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(Edited by Daniel Graeber)