IRAQ: Iraq's main Sunni Muslim bloc pulled out of talks yesterday on the formation of a new government, blaming the ruling Shia alliance for sectarian violence that has killed dozens of Sunnis.
"We are suspending our participation in negotiations on the government with the Shia Alliance," Tareq al-Hashemi, a senior official of the Iraqi Accordance Front, told reporters. It was not clear if broader talks would now go ahead without the presence of the Front, which includes the Iraqi Islamic Party.
The Front won 44 of 275 seats when the Sunni minority ended its boycott of the US-sponsored political process and took part in the December elections.
"If the price of participating in the political process is the blood of our people, then we are willing to go back on this," said Front spokesman Thafer al-Aani, who added that talks would resume only if those who incited and participated in the violence apologised, compensation was paid for damaged mosques, perpetrators were brought to justice and the militias behind them held to account.