Iraq’s State of Law MP expects Tuesday meeting to reach national accord on U.S. troops withdrawal

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Legislature Khalid al-Assady of the State of Law Coalition, led by Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has expressed confidence that the meeting of Iraq’s Political Leaders, scheduled to take place at the residence of President Jalal Talabani on Tuesday “would reach a national accord on the withdrawal of the American Forces from Iraq, by the end of the current year.”   “The meeting of Leaders of the Political Blocs, scheduled to convene in President Talabani’s residence today (Tuesday), is expected to concentrate on two important topics – the withdrawal of the American forces and the differences among the Political blocs, especially al-Iraqiya, led by Iyad Allawi, and the State of Law, led by Maliki, about the Arbil Agreement,” Assady told IraqiNews.com, expecting that the meeting would “come out with a national consensus about the issue of the departure of the U.S. Forces from Iraq.”   Noteworthy is that the American combat troops had withdrawn from Iraq at the end of August last, according to the Strategic Agreement, signed between Baghdad and Washington at the end of 2008, whilst the remaining 50,000 non-combat U.S. troops are scheduled to withdraw from the country by the end of the current year.   As regards to the issue of differences among the said Political blocs, Assady said: “A middle solution must be reached towards the suspended issues among the Political Blos, in order to settle them completely.”   “Al-Iraqiya Coalition has decided to attend the meeting, which other Political Blocs are expected to attend it as well, because it would be convened in response to a call by President Jalal Talabani,” Assadi said.   The meeting, called for by President Talabani to   convene on Tuesday, is expected to complete the meetings he had hosted during the past month, in order to bring the viewpoints closer and to settle the differences between al-Iraqiya and the State of Law Coalitions, that had not achieved any specific progress, due to the persistence of both sides to stick to their positions towards the implementation of Arbil Agreement, presented by Kurdistan President, Massoud Barzani and the achievement of the political partnership.   SKH (FT) 2433