Pressure mounts on Iraqi PM to go

伊拉克总理下台压力不断增长

贾法里没能赢得逊尼派和库尔德人的支持

伊拉克什叶派联盟内有人呼吁，现任总理贾法里应该下台，以帮助建立一个国家统一政府。

这是什叶派联盟内一位颇有影响的人物达乌德发出的呼吁。达乌德领导着伊拉克团结联盟内部的一个独立派别。

他说："我呼吁贾法里迈出辞职这勇敢的一步，最后树立一个好榜样。"

"由于目前的政治进程陷入僵局，联盟内部出现了一种声音，希望他能撤消对自己的提名，"他补充说。

其它的消息来源说，什叶派内部已有四个派别表示，如果贾法里不能赢得逊尼派和库尔德人的支持，他最好下台。

另有什叶派高级人士说，美国驻伊拉克大使本周也表示，美国不希望贾法里继续留任。而贾法里则针锋相对地警告美国不要干涉。

贾法里的一名主要助手周六(4月1日)则对路透社表示，贾法里不会屈服于让他下台的压力，并称他会"留守到最后一刻"。

贾法里是什叶派联盟去年12月赢得大选后推出的总理人选。但逊尼派穆斯林和库尔德人拒绝接受他，并威胁说，除非贾法里下台，否则他们将抵制统一政府。

 

Pressure mounts on Iraqi PM to go

Mr Jaafari has failed to gain Sunni and Kurdish support

Figures within Iraq's majority Shia alliance have for the first time urged Ibrahim Jaafari to stand down as PM to help a national unity government form.

Key alliance politician Qassim Daoud made the call, saying it would help break the political deadlock.

Mr Jaafari, a Shia, is opposed by the minority Sunni and Kurdish blocks.

Senior Shia figures said this week the US ambassador to Iraq had told them the US did not want Mr Jaafari to stay. Mr Jaafari warned the US not to interfere.

A key aide to Mr Jaafari told Reuters news agency on Saturday the prime minister would not give in to the calls to resign.

Jawad al-Maliki said Mr Jaafari would go on "until the end".

Sectarian violence

Mr Daoud leads an independent bloc within the United Iraqi Alliance.

He said: "I call on Jaafari to take a courageous step and set a fine example by stepping down.

"There is a current [within the alliance] that is calling on the prime minister to withdraw his nomination because the political process has reached a deadlock."

Saad Jawad Qandil, of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, a key alliance party, said there had been "numerous calls" by individuals to change Mr Jaafari "to resolve the ongoing political crisis".

Mr Jaafari was chosen by the ruling Shia-led bloc after it won December's election.

But Kurdish and Sunni Arab parties have rejected the nomination and have threatened to boycott a national unity government unless Mr Jaafari withdraws.

The delay in forming a government is thought to be partly responsible for fuelling the increasing sectarian violence which has struck Iraq since last month's bombing of a key Shia shrine at Samarra.

Other sources within the alliance said as many four of the blocs within the grouping wanted Mr Jaafari to stand down if he could not gain Sunni and Kurdish support.

"Daoud's call is supported by at least 60% of alliance members of parliament," a senior alliance official told Reuters.

The Shias control 130 seats in the 275-member parliament.

This week senior Shia politicians said US ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, had told them President George W Bush "doesn't want, doesn't support, doesn't accept" the retention of Mr Jaafari.

Mr Jaafari responded by saying the comments undermined Mr Bush's commitment to democracy in Iraq.