By NNN-KUNA
Baghdad : Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki has praised the recently-crafted agreement between the major Shiite political groups of Abdel Aziz Al-Hakim and Muqtada Al-Sadr.
“We have received with great relief the news regarding the accord signed by the chiefs of the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq and Al-Sadri movement, Abdel Aziz Al-Hakim and Muqtada Al-Sadr,” Al-Maliki said in a statement released by his bureau here Sunday.
“The agreement that reflected a high degree of national and religious responsibility by the two parties was worked out at the appropriate time,” Al-Maliki said, alluding to the agreement that prohibited spilling of Iraqi blood.
The prime minister hailed the agreement prohibiting the blood of the natives and affirmed that he would stand firmly behind any forces that seek to spare the lives of the Iraqi people and boost the observance of religious and higher national principles.
Al-Sadr and Al-Hakim signed, on Saturday, the accord that also stipulated the formation of a joint commission to tackle problems in southern and central Iraq.
The Sadri movement which has 30 seats in parliament withdrew from the Iraqi coalition, chaired by Al-Hakim, a month ago.
Al-Sadr had shown uneasiness toward a recently draw-up alliance that included SCIRI and another influential Shiite movement, the Al-Daawa Party.