Maliki: Don't ethnically divide Iraq

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Friday he objects to a potential U.S. plan that would divide Iraq based on ethnicity.

Maliki, speaking on Iraqi television in Baghdad, called the plan a "catastrophe" to Iraq and the Middle East region, KUNA reported Friday.

The U.S. Senate Tuesday approved a plan to divide Iraq on ethnic lines, a move supporters said would help end sectarian violence, KUNA said.

The Iraqi prime minister has called on the U.S. Congress to allow Iraq to address sectarian reunification internally.

Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del, and U.S. presidential candidate, said such a division could allow for the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops without too much chaos.

Maliki asked the Iraqi Parliament to convene so it could draft a response to the U.S. draft.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hushyar Zebari said the Iraqi constitution envisioned a united Iraq, not one divided into Kurdish, Sunni and Shiite states. // Copyright 2007 by United Press International

Subscribe to: RSS, Email

Comments