Barzani, Al-Arabi discuss latest political developments

ARBIL / IraqiNews.com: The President of north Iraq‘s Kurdistan Region, Massoud Barzani, has discussed with Arab League’s Secretary-General, Nabil al-Arabi, in a phone call on Monday night “the bilateral relations between both sides and the political situation in Iraq,” according to a statement by the Region’s government on Tuesday. The statement, received by IraqiNews.com news agency, reported that Barzani and Arabi had discussed in a phone call last night “the political situation in the country, especially the recent developments in the bilateral relations between both sides,” pointing out that “both of them have reiterated the necessity to settle the political differences in Iraq.” The Iraqi political arena has been witnessing political and security tension, stemming from the demands by some Iraqi provinces to announce themselves as administratively and economically independent “Regions;” these include Salah al-Din, Diala and Anbar Provinces, who have been protesting their alleged marginalization, detentions and erradications, amid demands by other provinces to transform them into “Regions.” The above developments were followed by the issuance of an arrest warrant by the Iraqi Interior Ministry against Iraq‘s Vice-President, Tareq al-Hashimy.The warrant was issued in conjunction with political conflicts and differences between the largest Iraqi Alliances, that won the last elections in Iraq – the State of Law Alliance, led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Malilki and al-Iraqiya Bloc, led by former Prime Minister and its leader, Iyad Allawi. Al-Iraqiya had previously announced its boycott of all Parliament sessions in protest to the course of Prime Minister Maliki in steering the country and his individuality in power.