Iraqi politicians in Syria for government talks

Oct 5, 2010, 15:34 GMT

Damascus - Key Iraqi politicians on Tuesday met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a regional power broker, as part of efforts to resolve the political stalemate in Baghdad and form a new government.

Following last week's trip by former prime minister Iyad Allawi to Damascus, Ammar al-Hakim, a Shiite political leader, was paying his second visit to Syria in three months.

He was accompanied by an entourage of other political figures. Iraq is about to enter its seventh month since a general election failed to produce a new government.

Al-Hakim's party is part of a broader coalition which last week said it would back incumbent Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to remain in his post.

However, al-Hakim has voiced disapproval of the coalition group's move and accused Iran of meddling in Iraqi affairs.

Allawi, whose Iraqiya List won the most seats in parliament, but remained short of an outright majority, made similar allegations against Tehran during his last visit to Syria.

The former premier was in Cairo on Tuesday to hold talks with Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak.

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