Iraqi PM urges Kurds to hand over Sunni vice-president

Nouri al-Maliki promises fair trial for Tariq al-Hashimi, who fled to semi-autonomous region after warrant issued for his arrest

Iraq's Shia prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has called on Kurdish authorities to hand Sunni vice-president Tariq al-Hashimi over to face charges his office had run death squads, a demand likely to further heighten sectarian tensions.

The latest dispute between Iraq's Shia-led government and Sunni rivals erupted in the hours that the last US troops were withdrawing from Iraq. Maliki issued a warrant for Hashimi's arrest, prompting the Sunni leader to travel to semi-autonomous Kurdistan.

"We ask our brothers in the Kurdistan region to take responsibility and hand the wanted person over to the judiciary. His running to another state would create problems," Maliki told a press conference.

"We will be sure to provide a fair trial for Tariq al-Hashimi."

Hashimi has denied the charges he says were fabricated by Maliki's government, and said he was willing to face judges in the northern Kurdish enclave, which has its own regional government and armed forces.

The crisis risks unravelling a fragile year-old power-sharing deal among Shia, Sunni and Kurdish blocs that have struggled to overcome tensions since sectarian slaughter in the years after Saddam Hussein's fall in 2003.

Shia leaders say the case involves law enforcement against individuals and does not target a community, but the Sunni minority fears that Maliki is increasing his hold on the government and marginalising Sunnis.

In a system devised under US occupation to divide power, Iraq has a Shia prime minister with Sunni and Kurd deputies, a Kurdish president with Shia and Sunni vice-presidents, and a Sunni parliament speaker with Shia and Kurd deputies.

Maliki has also asked parliament to sack the Sunni deputy prime minister, Saleh al-Mutlaq. Hashi! mi and M utlaq are the country's most senior Sunni politicians.

The White House on Tuesday said it was "obviously concerned" about the arrest warrant issued for Hashimi and urged the inquiry be conducted according to the rule of law.

The last US troops withdrew from Iraq on Sunday nearly nine years after the invasion that toppled Sunni dictator Saddam.


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