Iraq's main Sunni bloc suspends government talks

By Wisam Mohammed

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's main Sunni Arab political bloc said on Wednesday it had suspended talks to rejoin the Shi'ite-led government after a disagreement with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki over a cabinet post.

Persuading the bloc to rejoin has been a main aim of U.S. policy and is widely regarded as a vital step in reconciling Iraq's factions after years of conflict. Sunni Arabs have little voice in a cabinet dominated by Shi'ites and Kurds.

The breakdown in talks could undermine Washington's efforts to prod Sunni Arab states to offer more support to Iraq's government at a conference in Sweden on Thursday as a way of countering Shi'ite Iran's growing influence in Iraq.

"We have suspended negotiations with the government and pulled out our candidates," said Salim al-Jibouri, spokesman for the Accordance Front. He said the decision was taken after Maliki objected to a candidate for a cabinet position.

The Accordance Front pulled out of Maliki's national unity government in August, demanding the release of mainly Sunni Arab detainees in Iraq's jails and calling for a greater say in security matters.

Ali al-Adeeb, a member of parliament and senior member of Maliki's Dawa party, played down the suspension of talks.

"I don't think that this will lead to the total withdrawal of the Accordance Front from the government," he told Reuters.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she understood that discussions were continuing.