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Coup, alliances dominate Iraqi rumors

Iyad Allawi, former prime minister and head of the secular Iraqiya coalition, smiles during a media conference in Baghdad March 27, 2010. Secularist challenger Iyad Allawi's coalition won the most seats in Iraq's election, according to preliminary results on Friday, but the tight race foreshadowed long, divisive talks to form a new government. UPI Photos Ali Jasim
Iyad Allawi, former prime minister and head of the secular Iraqiya coalition, smiles during a media conference in Baghdad March 27, 2010. Secularist challenger Iyad Allawi's coalition won the most seats in Iraq's election, according to preliminary results on Friday, but the tight race foreshadowed long, divisive talks to form a new government. UPI Photos Ali Jasim | License Photo

BAGHDAD, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- The Iraqiya slate would join forces with incumbent Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki provided a series of conditions are met, the party's leader Iyad Allawi said.

Allawi led his Iraqiya slate to a narrow victory in March 7 elections, though fell well short of the 163-seat majority needed to form a government. Maliki, meanwhile, won support from the alliance loyal to anti-American cleric Moqtada Sadr, putting Maliki within reach of the majority.

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Allawi suggested to The Wall Street Journal that he would agree to power-sharing talks with Maliki provided all top government positions, including prime minister, were up for debate.

Adnan al-Sarraj, a Maliki supporter, responded by saying the position of prime minister was not a matter for negotiation.

Allawi added that he wanted to see plans on the table for resolving internal border issues and lingering oil revenue concerns.

A spokeswoman for Iraqiya said in a separate statement that the secular slate welcomed a proposal by Kurdish President Massoud Barzani to appoint representatives from leading parties to move negotiations forward.

Meanwhile, an Iraqi official told London's pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat on condition of anonymity that there was the potential for a coup in Iraq.

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"We do not completely exclude a military coup, since Iraq's political history is replete with military coups," the source said.

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