Shiites to Attend Iraq Parliament Session

[maddezmom]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Leaders of Iraq's Shiite political alliance said Friday that they will attend next week's parliament session even if they haven't reached agreement on nominations for the top posts in the next government.

Members of the alliance will meet this weekend to discuss the posts — including the position of prime minister, which has been the core of the long-standing stalemate, said Sabah al-Saedi, a Shiite politician. He said alliance members would attend the parliament session, scheduled for Monday.

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A Shiite lawmaker had said a day earlier that members of the alliance were reluctant to attend the session until a deal had been struck on the premiership and other top government positions that require parliamentary approval.

The softening of tone appeared to be an attempt by the Shiites not to come across as an obstruction to the political process, even though they still haven't sorted out the dispute over their nominee for prime minister. Negotiations over a new national unity government have been stalled for months over the issue of who gets that post.

more;http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060414/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_politics;_