(AP)
Updated: 2007-09-06 17:07

With political tensions rising, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki met behind closed doors in the holy city of Najaf with Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, to brief him on efforts to revive his flagging government, crippled by walkouts by Sunni Cabinet ministers and Shiite followers of al-Sadr.

Shiite politicians such as al-Maliki never make major decisions without consulting al-Sistani, whose endorsement in the January 2005 election elevated Shiite political parties to power.

There was no comment from the reclusive al-Sistani or his associates. But al-Maliki told reporters he discussed prospects of bringing Sunnis back into the government or putting together an entirely new administration of nonpartisan technocrats - though emphasized it was currently only an "idea" that was being considered among others.

"We are still trying to persuade the (Sunni Arab) brothers to return to their ministries but it seems that they are not likely to do so," he told reporters. "This, naturally, means the ministries cannot be left vacant."

Elsewhere, officials in Sulaimaniyah announced that they had indefinitely postponed the start of classes for primary and secondary schools in an effort to prevent the further spread of cholera in the northern province.

Since the disease broke out in mid-August, nine people have died and some 70 others have been confirmed with cholera. Another 4,000 are suffering from symptoms like severe diarrhea and vomiting.

Cholera is a gastrointestinal disease that is typically spread by drinking contaminated water and can cause severe diarrhea. In extreme cases, that can lead to fatal dehydration. In this case, US military medical officials have said the area water does not seem to be contaminated and it is not yet certain how it is being spread.

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