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Maliki wanted Iraq to vote against Arab League, KBC claims
21/11/2011 14:48
Baghdad, Nov. 21 (AKnews) - The heated debate about Iraq abstaining in the vote of the Arab League against Syria has not entirely calmed down yet, the Kurdistan Blocs Coalition charges again -- now against Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki himself.
KBC spokesman Muayyid Tayyeb claimed that Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari did not follow orders when he decided to abstain during the Arab League's decision to suspend Syria's membership in the Arab League. According to Tayyeb, Maliki wanted Zebari to vote against the decision and told him that in a phone call.
Tayyeb did not give any evidence for his allegations.
AKnews approached Maliki's office for comment but has not received an answer.
AKnews was unable to contact the Foreign Ministry, because the Ministry's web interface for media inquiries is broken.
Arab League foreign ministers decided Saturday to suspend Syria until it implements its commitments to the Arab Plan, the League's effort to resolve the Syrian crisis, adopted on Nov. 2.
The decision was taken with the ascent of 18 countries and with dissent of Lebanon and Yemen. Iraq abstained.
A number of Iraqi political blocs criticized the decision to abstain saying it was politically motivated.
Zebari said the withdrawal of Arab ambassadors from Damascus is premature and each state should take its own decision about it.
The Iraqi government said last week that Iraq's abstention was not a tacit vote in favor of Bashar al-Assad. Iraq did not vote because the resolution does not serve the interests of the Syrian people.
WJ
RN/CU/AKnews
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21/11/2011 14:48
Baghdad, Nov. 21 (AKnews) - The heated debate about Iraq abstaining in the vote of the Arab League against Syria has not entirely calmed down yet, the Kurdistan Blocs Coalition charges again -- now against Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki himself.
KBC spokesman Muayyid Tayyeb claimed that Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari did not follow orders when he decided to abstain during the Arab League's decision to suspend Syria's membership in the Arab League. According to Tayyeb, Maliki wanted Zebari to vote against the decision and told him that in a phone call.
Tayyeb did not give any evidence for his allegations.
AKnews approached Maliki's office for comment but has not received an answer.
AKnews was unable to contact the Foreign Ministry, because the Ministry's web interface for media inquiries is broken.
Arab League foreign ministers decided Saturday to suspend Syria until it implements its commitments to the Arab Plan, the League's effort to resolve the Syrian crisis, adopted on Nov. 2.
The decision was taken with the ascent of 18 countries and with dissent of Lebanon and Yemen. Iraq abstained.
A number of Iraqi political blocs criticized the decision to abstain saying it was politically motivated.
Zebari said the withdrawal of Arab ambassadors from Damascus is premature and each state should take its own decision about it.
The Iraqi government said last week that Iraq's abstention was not a tacit vote in favor of Bashar al-Assad. Iraq did not vote because the resolution does not serve the interests of the Syrian people.
WJ
RN/CU/AKnews
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
