Top Sunni: Make changes by next week or 'bye-bye' to political process [View All]

[maddezmom]

Source: CNN

Top Sunni: Make changes by next week or 'bye-bye' to political process
BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Iraq's top Sunni official has set a deadline of next week for pulling his entire Sunni bloc out of the government -- a potentially devastating blow to reconciliation efforts within Iraq. He also said he turned down an offer by President Bush to visit Washington until he can count more fully on U.S. help.

Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi made his comments in an interview with CNN's Nic Robertson. He said if key amendments to the Iraqi constitution are not made by May 15, he will step down and pull his 44 Sunni politicians out of the 275-member Iraqi parliament.

"If the constitution is not subject to major changes, definitely, I will tell my constituency frankly that I have made the mistake of my life when I put my endorsement to that national accord," he said.

Specifically, he wants guarantees in the constitution that the country won't be split into Sunni, Shia and Kurdish federal states, which he says would disadvantage Sunnis.



Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/05/07/monday/index.html