Across Asia: Iraq

Sunni on board for vote

The party of a prominent Sunni Muslim politician banned from taking part in Iraq's March election yesterday decided not to boycott the poll, easing fears that other Sunni groups would stay away.

Saleh Al-Mutlaq said his National Dialogue Front party would take part in the March 7 vote as part of the Iraqiya election coalition, a cross-sectarian group expected to pose a challenge to Iraq's established Shi'ite Islamist parties.

(China Daily 02/26/2010 page11)