Al-Iraqiya Coalition presents candidates for Defense Minister’s post to Iraq’s President i/o PM
8/25/2011 11:58 AM
BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Al-Iraqiya Coalition, led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, has presented the names of 8 candidates for the Defense Minister’s post to President Jalal Talabani and not to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, due to the mistrust between al-Iraqiya and the State of Law Coalition’s leaders Allawi and Maliki, al-Iraqiya Member, Talal al-Zuba’e said on Thursday.
The Legislature of the National Coalition, Asma’a al-Moussawi, told Aswat al-Iraq earlier that al-Iraqiya Coalition had presented its 8 candidates for the Defense Minister’s post to the President, but the State of Law Coalition had opposed the measure, demanding the names to be presented to the Prime Minister.
Zoba’e, on his part, said: “Our Coalition has presented the names of its 8 candidates for the said post to the President, being the protector of the Constitution,” adding that “this step can’t be considered ‘hostile’ to the Prime Minister, but was taken due to the absence of trust between al-Iraqiya and the State of Law.”
“There is a sharp difference between Dr.
Iyad Allawi and Nouri al-Maliki, and due to that we presented the names of our candidates to President Jalal Talabani, being the protector of our agreements, thing that must not upset the State of Law Coalition,” Zoba’e told Aswat al-Iraq.
He said that “among the most outstanding candidates for the Defense Minister’s post is the Leader of the Middle Alliance, Jawad al-Bolany, whilst the other candidates did not gain support by other political blocs.”
On the other hand, Zoba’e said that “the most lucky candidate by the State of Law Coalition for the Interior Minister’s post, was Raad Mukhlis al-Tikrity, who gained support by our Coalition, being a national personality.”
A sharp difference had taken place since 6 months between al-Iraqiya and the National Coalition about the so-called Arbil Agreement, including the establishment of the National Council for Strategic Policies (NCSP), along with the differences about the Security Dossier.
The Security Cabinet Posts, especially the Interior and Defense Ministers’ posts had been vacant since the formation of the Iraqi Cabinet on 21/12/2010, with first being the share of the National Coalition and the second by al-Iraqiya Coalition, with each side rejecting the candidate of the other, whilst Prime Minister Maliki holds both posts on ‘acting’ basis.
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