Iraqi PM calls for harmony and dialogue to resolve political crisis

Nouri al-Maliki wants politicians in Iraq to unite for the common good Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has called for "dialogue" to resolve the current political crisis and warned against a "non-positive" outcome of the situation, while the president of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq [ISCI], Ammar al-Hakim demanded that the Iraqiya List party "returns to the Council of Representatives to meet the demonstrators' demands."
Meanwhile, the speaker of the council has told protestors in the city of Samarra to continue their sit-in and stressed that the al-Askari Shrine must be returned to the people of the Samarra.
In a joint press conference on Saturday with al-Hakim, Iraqi PM al-Maliki said: "Iraq is part of the crisis which the Arab region is going through and which is presenting some positive, as well as negative, outcomes." He said he and al-Hakim shared "an identical will and identical opinions to continue to treat all issues with the help of the other members of the National Alliance."
"The National Alliance is the vessel which we are careful to ensure is strong and well-presented, alongside the other members of the Kurdistan Alliance, the Iraqiya List and the other small blocs," the PM said, adding "this makes us stronger in the face of challenges."
"The development of events in a non-positive direction would serve no-one," he said, calling for "consensus and harmony between political blocs."
Al-Hakim described his meeting with al-Maliki as "deep and fruitful," and said they spoke of joint relations and the relationship between the two entities in the context of the coalition. They also discussed "the nature of the regional circumstances and sensitivities that the region is experiencing as well as Iraq's internal circumstances," as well as the demonstrators' demands and the measures that have been or will be taken to deal with the situation.
According to al-Hakim, they also discussed "the role of the Council of Representatives in affecting a number of amendments to laws to facilitate executive measures and cabinet decisions." This, he said, would require "cooperation and mutual support among all parliamentary blocs."
The ISCI chief also appealed to the Iraqiya List party to withdraw its decision to boycott parliamentary sessions and return to help with the amendment process, which he said would "pave the way for the speedy execution of cabinet decision and fulfilling the demonstrators' needs."
He said: "The Kurdistan dossier was present at the meeting," adding "we sensed al-Maliki's will to handle crises in a manner that would meet the deferral government's demands while also taking into consideration the government of the Kurdistan Region's vision."
"Treating and alleviating the crises with the Kurdistan Region would enable us to create a suitable climate and a good opportunity to head to the provincial council elections calmly, with stability and serenity."
Meanwhile, Speaker of Council of Representatives Osama al-Nujaifi gave a speech at a protest in Samarra on Saturday, in which he urged the protesters in the Saladin province "not to allow room for those who wish to derail [their] peaceful sit-ins." He said the protesters have prompted "the other camp" to start "looking for solutions" and insisted that the al-Askari Shrine is "returned to the people of Samarra."
He said the protesters "will be the ones to restore balance to the political process in the country."
Observers say that al-Nujaifi's call to have the al-Askari Shrine - where the two Askari Imams are buried - returned to local rule amounts to pouring oil over the fire at a time when the crisis is heightening between the government, which is seeking resolution, and the demonstrators, whose demands rise the longer the sit-in continues.
The shrine had been run by the Sunni waqf until 2006, at which point it was placed in the care of the Shiite waqf, which renovated it after it was bombed during the period of sectarian violence.
Al-Nujaifi and Iraqiya List senior official Rafi al-Issawi's visit to the protests in Samarra on Saturday was the first of its kind since the demonstrations began on December 21 last year.
The protests have since escalated and taken on a defiant character, especially after the army used live ammunition against demonstrators in Fallujah, killing 11 protesters and wounding over 60.
The government accused the demonstrators of instigating the incident by firing on the army first and said some of the protesters were al-Qaeda members. These remarks have led to an uproar from the people of Fallujah and other protests centres at al-Maliki.