National Congress’ Political Committee convenes in Parliament Baghdad – Jaafar Nassrawi The Preparatory Committee for the Iraqi National Congress started its meetings on Sunday at the parliament, headed by Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, and attended by Iraqi Vice President Khodair al-Khozaei, Deputy PM Rose Nouri Shaways, and representatives of political blocs, a parliamentary source told ‘Arabstoday’.
The source added that the meeting included head of the Iraqiya bloc Salman al-Jumaili, head of the Kurdistan Alliance Fouad Masum, head of Ahrar bloc Bahaa al-Aaraji, Iraqi White bloc representative Qutaiba al-Jabouri, and Christian bloc representative Yondam Kanna.
The source indicated, upon conditions of anonymity, that the meeting is to discuss work agendas presented by Iraqiya bloc and the Kurdistan alliance.
Meanwhile, a MP State of Law Alliance, headed by Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki, told ‘Arabstoday’ that his bloc renewed its rejection to include the cases of Deputy PM Saleh al-Mutlaq and Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi in the agenda of the National Congress, which was called for by President Jalal Talibani. He accused those calling for the inclusion of both cases of “attempting to foil the congress”.
State of Law MP Abbas al-Biati told ‘Arabstoday’ that the dialogue with Iraqiya bloc in the conference does not include the cases of Hashemi and Mutlaq, stressing his Alliance’s refusal to include these two cases in the National Congress.
Biati indicated that the Mutlaq case is to be resolved by submitting his resignation.