Reuters AlertNet Full site
Homepage | Newsdesk | NGO Latest | Crisis briefings | Country profiles | MediaWatch | Jobs | Alerting | Login

NEWSDESK

Small Sunni Arab party returns to Iraq parliament
08 Sep 2007 11:41:22 GMT
Source: Reuters
BAGHDAD, Sept 8 (Reuters) - A small Sunni Arab political party returned to Iraqi's parliament on Saturday after a boycott of more than two months, ending walkouts by various factions that have disrupted the legislature.

The Iraqi National Dialogue Front, which has 11 seats in the 275-member legislature, suspended its participation in June, partly over the sacking at the time of the speaker, a Sunni Arab from a larger Sunni Arab bloc.

Mustafa al-Hiti, a senior member of the Dialogue Front, said the party had returned because most of its demands had been met. He did not elaborate, but the speaker, Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, was reinstated in July.

The party's decision to attend sessions again follows the return to parliament in recent months of the main Sunni Arab bloc, the Accordance Front, and also a faction loyal to Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

Parliament resumed hearings this week after a month's break.

Legislators are under growing pressure from the United States to pass major laws aimed at drawing minority Sunni Arabs more firmly into the political process. The lawmakers complain that the government has yet to submit most of the drafts.


AlertNet news is provided by

Email this article       Send comments

Emergencies

•  Iraq in turmoil

MORE >>

Countries

Small country map
© 2004 Europa Technologies Ltd.
Reset map

•  Iraq profile
· View map

MORE >>

NGO latest

•  Assisting More Iraqi Refugees in Crisis - IMC Starts New Programs in Jordan
IMC - USA

•  IMC Responds to Deadly Cholera Outbreak in Iraq
IMC - USA

•  CWS Appeal: Summer 2007 U.S. flooding (broadened response)
CWS

•  Hurricane Katrina anniversary: Two years of rebuilding lives
Medical Teams International - USA

•  The UMCOR Hotline for August 29, 2007
UMCOR - USA

MORE >>

Latest news

•  Small Sunni Arab party returns to Iraq parliament

•  ANALYSTS' VIEW-New bin Laden video

•  Iraq asks Kurd rebels to stop fighting Turkey, Iran

•  China, India key to prodding Myanmar

•  Somali opposition conference criticises U.S.

MORE >>

Disclaimers |  Copyright |  Privacy |  Contact Us |  Feedback |  About Us |  RSS XML

Last updated:Sat Sep 8 11:41:18 2007