Al Hakim call for Sunnis to support PM

Baghdad: The leader of Iraq's largest Shiite political party said he will stand by Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki and urged Sunnis not to abandon the political process, promising serious efforts to solve any problem angering them.

Abdul Aziz Al Hakim's written comments were received by the Associated Press yesterday in response to questions sent to him last week. The leader of the Supreme Islamic Council of Iraq is in Iran for cancer treatment.

Al Maliki's coalition has been weakened by a Sunni boycott and wrangling over political benchmarks that the United States is pushing the Prime Minister to pass.