By Country / Iraq
Shi'ite, Kurdish Leaders Plan Coalition Government
December 27, 2005
Iraqis demonstrated against election results (epa)
Kurdish regional leader Masoud Barzani said he favored a government with "a broad popular base." He was speaking at a joint news conference after talks with Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim of the Shi'ite United Iraqi Alliance in the northern city of Arbil.
Hakim's bloc has run the interim government for the past year in coalition with the Kurds. He insisted the results of the 15 December ballot must stand despite fraud allegations.
In Baghdad, thousands of people backing Sunni Arab and secular Shi'ite politicians protested what they are calling fraudulent elections:
Chanting, "No! No to vote-rigging! No! No to vote-rigging!" protestors demanded a rerun of the vote in key provinces.
Meanwhile, fresh violence killed at least 11 Iraqis across the country.
(AFP/Reuters)