Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
U.S. hopeful of breakthrough in Iraq vote deadlock
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Africa
Europe
Latin America
Middle East
North America
U.S. hopeful of breakthrough in Iraq vote deadlock
Reuters - Sunday, November 29
Send
IM Story
Print
By Ross Colvin
WASHINGTON - U.S. Vice President Joe Biden pressed Iraq's leaders in a series of telephone calls on Saturday to break a deadlock that has stalled preparations for an election seen as critical for U.S. troops to withdraw, U.S. officials said.
A senior U.S. administration official said Washington was hopeful a tentative deal on Iraq's election law would allow a national vote to be held and for a new parliament to be elected and seated by March 15, when the term of the current assembly is due to expire.
Biden serves as President Barack Obama's point man on Iraq.
Iraqi officials are working to secure final approval of the deal from Shi'ite Muslim, Sunni Muslim and Kurdish political factions, the administration official said. Iraq's government is led by the country's majority Shi'ites. The minority Sunnis had controlled Iraq before the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.
"The U.S. role, both on the ground and via vice president, is to encourage, to bridge build, and to serve as a friendly witness to the negotiations," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Biden travelled to Iraq in September, his second trip in three months. He has sought to cajole Iraq's feuding leaders to compromise on sticking points including the election law. He is due to visit Iraq again before the end of the year.
The White House said in a statement that Biden commended Iraqi leaders in Saturday's telephone calls for "finding a solution to the election law impasse."
'FAIR TO ALL SIDES'
"He encouraged them to finalise an arrangement that would be fair to all sides and that would allow national elections, as desired by the Iraqi people and as outlined in Iraq's constitution," the White House said.
The White House did not identify the Iraqi leaders to whom Biden spoke.
The current crisis was sparked by Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, one of three members of a presidential council with the power to veto legislation, who rejected an initial electoral law that parliament had spent weeks negotiating.
He complained that the law did not give enough of a voice to the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who fled abroad during the fighting. Many are Sunnis, as is Hashemi.
Hashemi's office said on Thursday he was less likely to veto the preliminary agreement reached with political parties, the Shi'ite-led government and electoral authorities.
The election is a milestone for Iraq as it emerges from years of sectarian violence that followed the 2003 invasion. It also comes as the United States seeks to meet a deadline at the end of August 2010 to withdraw its combat troops.
Obama has promised Americans he will end U.S. involvement in the Iraq war at the end of 2011. He also has said he hopes that financial savings from winding down the war will help to reduce the size of the $1.4 trillion U.S. deficit.
There were fears that an election delay could force Washington to alter its troop withdrawal timetable, but U.S. officials have made clear that is highly unlikely.
While Iraq originally planned to hold the election in January, the U.S. official said this was not mandatory and that the key date was March 15.
Biden, who has sought to build on close relations he developed with several of Iraq's leaders when he was a U.S. senator, has held a number of telephone conversations with them in recent months.
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
Related Articles
Ex-rebel likely to be Uruguay presidential winner AP - 45 minutes ago
Iran warns of 'serious' drop in cooperation with IAEA AFP - 1 hour 16 minutes ago
Former guerrilla favoured to win Uruguay election Reuters - 1 hour 19 minutes ago
Honduras hopes to move past coup with election AP - 1 hour 24 minutes ago
Ex-leftist rebel favorite to win Uruguay runoff AFP - 1 hour 34 minutes ago
News Search
Top Stories
WTO meeting expected to see free trade pledge
Dubai as finance hub faces first test
Police, protesters clash ahead of WTO conference
Dubai blackout over debt plans to hit Gulf markets
US Fed chief 'concerned' by regulatory proposals
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Most Recommended
Investors dump stocks over Dubai scare
Gatecrashers met Obama, Secret Service 'embarrassed'
Wall Street braces for Dubai debt fallout, jobs data
Dubai blackout over debt plans to hit Gulf markets
Dubai debt move 'carefully planned': top official
More Most Viewed »
Investors dump stocks over Dubai scare
Mankind using Earth's resources at alarming rate
Alcohol helps cut heart disease risk for men: study
Gatecrashers met Obama, Secret Service 'embarrassed'
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Sunday, 29 November 2009 Carlos the Jackal was 'revolutionary': Chavez
CORRECTED
US-TECH Summary
Bomb attack blamed in deadly Russia train disaster
Iranian lawmaker: Iran could leave nuclear treaty
Exec says Nokia must speed up transformation: report
Brown aims to set Afghan goals for troops' exit
Bruised Sarkozy launches campaign for French regionals
| International
|
Saudi floods death toll rises to 98
Afghan talks to seek road to security handover
| International
|
Religious, secular Israelis hold opposing protests
| International
|
Exec says Nokia must speed up transformation: report
Text-a-Tip programs allow tipsters to help police
Domestic abuse cases proceed _ even without victim
Kennedy to speak on health care after church feud
Ski resorts fight global warming; Utah gov unsure
Taiwan indie drama wins Chinese-language 'Oscars'
76-year old accused of killing son on Thanksgiving
Three Americans die in Shanghai plane crash: officials
Cleveland bodies case hard on nearby sausage shop
At least 33 die in Bangladesh ferry accident: police
Relative sought in 4 Fla. Thanksgiving killings
Some gays seek renewed focus on civil unions
3 Americans die in cargo plane crash in China
Whitman tries courting women in Calif. gov race
America wages new war in Vietnam _ on AIDS
In Wyoming, basketball drives reservation's pride
Afghanistan, Iraq: different wars
Indonesian minister blames disasters on immorality
Pakistan's president hands over nuclear powers
Flooding traps 16 in northern China coal mine
Apple's iPhone arrives in tech-savvy South Korea
Taiwan honors local film at Chinese Oscars
Lebanon's other women 'out' in force
A list of winners at Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards
Taiwanese drama big winner at Chinese Oscars
Europe lacks means, will for Afghan war: experts
Spain wants EU-Cuba agreement in first half of 2010
Hondurans to elect new president after June coup
| International
|
Dubai as finance hub faces first test
British PM sets targets for Afghan president
Police, protesters clash ahead of WTO conference
I'm a federalist but not fundamentalist: incoming EU President
Saudis claim key mountain win over Yemeni rebels
| International
|
Dubai blackout over debt plans to hit Gulf markets
Blair was told Iraq war 'illegal': report
Sri Lanka's war hero runs for president
| International
|
Bomb attack blamed in deadly Russia train disaster
U.S. hopeful of breakthrough in Iraq vote deadlock
Former guerrilla favored to win Uruguay election
| International
|
Saudis claim key mountain win over Yemeni rebels
Religious, secular Israelis hold opposing protests
Iran will make own nuclear fuel if IAEA deal fails: cleric
Equatorial Guinea president eyes new term in poll
| International
|
U.S. hopeful of breakthrough in Iraq vote deadlock
| International
|
Saudi floods claim 103 lives, 1,400 rescued
| International
|
Weather forecast for the Asia-Pacific region
News exec: Dinner crashers shopping interview
Death toll in Bangladesh ferry capsize rises to 40
Police find Texas teacher's body in SUV at impound
US man wanted for ecoterror sentenced in China
Carbon credits spell new future for forests
Administration plans new efforts on foreclosures
Massacre throws light on Philippine politics
Park rangers recover man's body at Grand Canyon
Analysts: All Is Not Lost For Dollar If Obama Aligns Focus With European Officials
Malaysia seeks child from Belgium in custody spat
Sarkozy Urges Singh To Come To Copenhagen, Obama Confirms His Attendance
'Telepathic' car symbolises Cambodian car industry hopes
Three Americans Die In Cargo Plane Crash In China
China tries to fix crumbling health care system
Family: Slain public defender didn't speak of fear
9,000 Marines to Helmand after Obama speech: report
Commonwealth throws weight behind climate talks
Ohio inmate seeks hearing over execution method
CORRECTS Louisiana Interstate Crash story
First lawsuit starts in China milk scandal: state media
Public debt imperils world economy
Nissan to double electric car power: report
S.Korea exports to rebound sharply in 2010 -groups
India says 'no need to press panic button' over Dubai debt
Bhopal gas survivors mark 25 years of agony
Longtime CBS News producer Bernard Birnbaum dies
French classical pianist Genevieve Joy dies at 90
Australia gives Chinese panda pair star treatment
Swiss voters favour minaret ban: exit polls
Karzai under pressure to draw up troop exit plan
WTO meeting expected to see free trade pledge
Air strike kills 30 Taliban in Afghanistan
| International
|
Pakistan president claims success against Taliban
Iran earmarks $20 million to support militants
Pakistan must step up action against al Qaeda: Brown
| International
|
Murder, threats mark judge's life in violent N.Iraq
Iran earmarks $20 million to resist West rights abuse
| International
|
Afghan police say 27 Taliban killed in clash
Russia says bomb caused deadly train crash
| International
|
Iran warns of decreasing cooperation with IAEA
Pakistani PM takes charge of nuclear weapons
| International
|
Saudi floods claim 103 lives, 1,400 rescued
Parties complain of irregularities in Namibia vote
| International
|
Iran speaker warns West on nuclear cooperation
Afghan private sector desperate for change
Black Friday shoppers tweet, friend and clip
| Technology
|
Nokia-Siemens CEO says focus on market share: report
| Technology
|
Police: 4 die in CA crash as car runs red light
Powerful clan denies role in Philippine massacre
The nation's weather
Nepal's Cabinet to meet at Everest in December
Shootings leave 3 dead, 1 wounded in eastern Kan.
Turbulence ahead: Senate opens health care debate
Capsized ferry righted in Bangladesh; 51 dead
Afghan gov't: 26 militants killed along border
Pakistani PM takes charge of nuclear weapons
LA stylist learns modern meaning of 'pay phone'
Water cooler at nuke plant in India contaminated
Australia climate deal threat ahead of Copenhagen
Philippine journalists expect attacks to continue
Capsized ferry righted in Bangladesh; 45 dead
Inflation fuels Pakistan dissatisfaction with govt
China's Wen meets with eurozone leaders
S.Korea calls meeting to check fallout from Dubai
Japan firms' capital spending to drop 17.6 pct
Shoplifting Charge Gives Man A Stinky Situation
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights