Failure of Reconciliation Conference Would be 'Calamity'

The speaker of the Iraqi parliament, Mahmood al-Mashhadani, has said it would be a “calamity” if the reconciliation conference, due to take place by August under the patronage of the Arab League, were to fail, but he added that the prevailing climate suggested it would be a success. A successful outcome to the conference would send a message to the Iraqi people that a new and happy era was on its way. Failure would mean a disastrous backward slide. Mashhadani urged all neighboring states to help in making the conference a success, instead of being “part of the problem”.