3/5/2012Iraqiya List Chief discusses country''s developments with Turkish officials
ANKARA, Visiting Iraqiya List party leader Ayad Allawi discussed Monday with Turkish officials Iraq's political developments and efforts exerted to end dispute between his party and the government of Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki.
According to Turkish news agency (Cihan), Allawi met with President Abdullah Gul, and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, noting that talks focused on development in Iraq and the political parties' disputes.
A Turkish diplomat told Cihan that Davutoglu pointed out all political groups have to abide by the Iraqi constitution, which provides an equal say to Shiite and Sunni groups in the political system.
Davutoglu added that the constitution was key to provide stability and to end sectarian conflict.The meeting came amid tensions that have been simmering between Iraq's Sunni and Shiite political groups since the Iraqi government, led by Shiite Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, issued an arrest warrant against Vice President Tareq Al-Hashemi, one of the top politicians from the Sunni minority, on charges of running death squads in December.
Hashemi's Iraqiya, which accuses Al-Maliki of trying to marginalize the Sunni minority and cement his grip on power, then announced a boycott of Parliament, triggering a political crisis that somehow abated in recent weeks after the Iraqiya bloc agreed to lift the boycott and return to Parliament.
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