Iraq’s political blocs held their first talks yesterday since the start of a crisis that risks reviving sectarian violence and scuttling a power-sharing government.
Political leaders are negotiating over a national conference with Maliki’s National Alliance coalition, and the Iraqiya and Kurdish blocs which divide up government posts in their uneasy power-sharing deal.
Maliki, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and the speaker of parliament Osama al Nujaifi met briefly yesterday, agreeing on another meeting in a week, but not settling on a date or details for the conference.
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