Sunni bloc voices conditions over Maliki premiership bid

BAGHDAD — Salah al-Kubaisi, A senior figure in the Sunni-led Sovereignty Alliance said Sunni political forces are divided over the nomination of Nouri al-Maliki for a third term as prime minister, stressing that their position depends on the political program rather than individual names.

Speaking in an interview on UTV, al-Kubaisi said, “Our vision regarding the nomination of Mr. al-Maliki for a third term is as follows. First, I would say that we are not concerned with names as much as we are concerned with the political approach that will be presented and what the political vision will be.”

The official said al-Maliki, who previously served two terms as prime minister, had a mixed record in office. “The first term included some positive aspects, but during the second term there were many observations regarding Mr. al-Maliki’s performance and the events that followed, which had an impact on Iraq,” he said.

He said Sunni political blocs have taken differing positions on the nomination. “There was a clear division within the Sunni political blocs. Some rejected the nomination outright, others supported it, and there was also a bloc that chose to remain temporarily silent in an attempt to bridge differences among Sunni political forces,” he said.

The comments follow the Shiite Coordination Framework’s announcement that it nominated al-Maliki, leader of the State of Law Coalition, for the post of prime minister by majority vote.

Some excerpts of  al-Kubaisi’s interview on UTV:

Our vision regarding the nomination of Mr. al-Maliki for a third term is as follows. First, I would say that we are not concerned with names as much as we are concerned with the political approach that will be presented and what the political vision will be.

Mr. al-Maliki served as prime minister for two terms. The first term included some positive aspects, but during the second term there were many observations regarding Mr. al-Maliki’s performance and the events that followed, which had an impact on Iraq.

There was a clear division within the Sunni political blocs. Some rejected the nomination outright, others supported it, and there was also a bloc that chose to remain temporarily silent in an attempt to bridge differences among Sunni political forces.

The Sunni political actor is very weak in the face of the Coordination Framework, and it is not possible today to be in a position to accept or reject any figure put forward for the premiership. This is a result of the realities reflected in political numbers.

Today, we want to be part of the next government or ministerial program of any candidate, whether Mr. al-Maliki or another figure. We all acknowledge that Mr. al-Maliki is a strong and influential figure, but we are seeking national assurances within the government program and remedies for the conditions the country is going through.