Iraqi defense minister: elections will be incomplete without Sunni participation

The last 24 hours witnessed the killing of 29 Iraqis in various attacks against several Iraqi cities with the approaching of the legislative elections set on by the end of the month.

On the other hand, the Iraqi defense minister Hazem al-Shalan said that the Iraqi elections will be incomplete without the participation of the Sunnis who call for postponing the elections. Al-Shalan questioned in an interview with the Iraqi TV "is it logical that the Iraqi constitutions will be formulated just by one social strata? this is impossible and all should participate in formulating the constitution, otherwise it will be incomplete."

Meantime, the Kurdish parties decided to take part in the regional elections in al-Ta'mim governorate and its main city Karkouk, following an agreement reached with the elections committee which permitted the Kurds who descend from the city and were evacuated from it by Saddam Hussein to vote in it. The negotiations were held between the committee and representatives for the major Kurdish parties especially the leader of the Kurdistani National Federation Jalal al-Talibani.