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Larijani Mediates Between Al-Maliki And Al-Hakim
Iranian Majlis speaker Ali Larijani, who arrived in Baghdad yesterday, has renewed his mediation, launched last March, between Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki and head of the Supreme Islamic Council 'Ammar Al-Hakim.
Larijani is urging the two sides to enter the parliamentary elections in a joint list under the banner of the National Iraqi Alliance, which is a predominantly a Shi'ite-oriented coalition. [Underlying Larijani's efforts is to insure a Shi'ite majority in parliament with a Shi'ite-based government that would maintain strong ties to Iran.]
At the same time, three MPs, including Usama Al-Nujaifi, an ally of Al-Maliki, declared in a press conference that they reject Larijani's visit to Baghdad because of Iran's negative role in Iraq, for its weapons to militias, and for diverting rivers that provided water to a large area in southern Iraq [which is facing serious danger of desertification.]
Larijani expressed his support for the democratic process in Iraq. He told the parliamentary speaker: "The Iraqi parliament enjoys wide support from the Iraqi people because it is elected, and Iran supports the democratic process seriously and strongly.
[Larijani made his enthusiastic statement for democracy in Iraq as in Iran police were forcibly breaking up pro-democracy demonstrations]
Source: Al-Zaman; Al-Mada, Iraq, November 5, 2009
Posted at: 2009-11-05
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