BAGHDAD ? Iraq?s Sunni ministers returned to the cabinet on Tuesday, an incremental step that eases the tensions of the country?s political crisis but does not end it, and sets the stage for a national conference to seek a durable solution to a sectarian drama that erupted just as American troops left in December and raised the specter of a civil war.
The decision by the ministers for Iraqiya, the parliamentary bloc that includes most Sunni lawmakers, to rejoin the government follows the recent decision by Iraqiya to end its boycott of Parliament. Together, the decisions represent what Sunni officials called good-will gestures, but notably did not come after any public concessions from the Shiite-dominated central government, which is led by Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki.
The two largest issues that precipitated the boycotts, and exacerbated sectarian tensions by fueling a sentiment of disenfranchisement among the country?s Sunni minority, have not been resolved. Those were an arrest warrant issued for Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi on terrorism charges, and Mr. Maliki?s attempt to fire Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq for calling Mr. Maliki a dictator in the press. Both Mr. Hashimi and Mr. Mutlaq are Sunnis.
But officials said that Iraqiya has since distanced itself from Mr. Hashimi?s case, removing it from the center of the crisis by essentially agreeing with Mr. Maliki to leave it to the courts rather than the political arena. With Mr. Mutlaq, Iraqiya continues to insist that he be allowed to return to Parliament, while officials from Mr. Maliki?s alliance have insisted that Mr. Mutlaq would first need to apologize.
A report in the Iraqi press this week suggested that Mr. Mutlaq ? who was traveling abroad on Tuesday ? had drafted a letter of apology, but several officials, including Hamid al-Mutlaq, an Iraqiya lawmaker who is Mr. Mutlaq?s brother, denied that.
The crisis has had the result of weakening Iraqiya ? and thereby the foothold of Sunnis on a stake in public life ? and strengthening Mr. Maliki?s power, especially among his Shiite base. Not only did Iraqiya end its boycotts of both Parliament and the cabinet without receiving anything tangible in return, some ministers defied the boycott and some members of Parliament have broken away from Iraqiya.
Nada al-Juboori, an Iraqiya member of Parliament, described the end of the cabinet boycott as simply a ?good step toward holding the national conference.?
Even so, Mr. Maliki has not backed away from targeting Sunni lawmakers. This week, the central government sought to lift the immunity of an Iraqiya lawmaker, Haider al-Mulla, which could precede Mr. Mulla being prosecuted for criticizing a judge involved in Mr. Hashimi?s case.
The lull in the crisis appears to represent an effort at closed-door reconciliation among Iraq?s three main factions ? Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds ? to at least paper over their biggest differences and prevent a collapse of the government or worse, a slide in to civil war. President Jalal Talabani, who is a Kurd, recently returned from knee surgery in Germany and has been meeting with leaders to set the parameters for a national conference that could be held in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, an Arab League delegation recently visited Baghdad and agreed that this year?s Arab Summit, which was canceled last year amid the turmoil in the region and concerns about security in Baghdad, will be held here next month. With Syria facing an increasingly bloody revolution and Egypt struggling to secure the promise of Tahrir Square, the gathering ? if it is held, and there is plenty of doubt that it will given the region?s uncertainties ? would swing the world?s spotlight on Iraq.
?It would be a sign of Iraq?s full integration in the world and the region,? said Hosyar Zebari, Iraq?s foreign minister. Mr. Zebari said the upcoming summit meeting has given Iraq?s leaders a new incentive to settle their differences ? at least temporarily ? so they can show the world a united front.
The crisis has extended beyond Iraq?s borders, causing a diplomatic disturbance with Turkey, Iraq?s biggest trading partner. Comments by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey that were critical of Mr. Maliki?s handling of the crisis ?infuriated the Iraqi people,? said Mr. Zebari. Mr. Maliki, meanwhile, has still refused to meet with Turkey?s new ambassador to Iraq, who arrived in December.
For the Iraqi people, the crisis has further alienated them from their leaders, whom most regard as corrupt and out of touch with the lives of ordinary citizens. Parliament recently convened to try to pass a $100 billion budget, but delayed any decision. It did, however, pass a law banning smoking in public spaces, which will likely prove difficult to enforce in a country where nearly half of all males are smokers.
Some leaders now say that the initial rhetoric following the eruption of the crisis in December, in which many predicted the country would soon devolve in to civil war, was overblown.
?I?m still convinced that the sectarian war has ended and won?t return,? said Ammar al-Hakim, the leader of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, a leading Shiite political party. ?Those bad years in Iraq won?t return.?
Source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=05a280c70af08c75be9564ab01e01cca
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