Iraqi Vice-President Al-Hashimi speaks to AA

SULAYMANIYAH (A.A) - December 25, 2011 - Tension in Iraq rose after the U.S. troops left the country and an arrest warrant was issued for Iraqi Vice-President Tariq al-Hashimi and his guards on charges of terror acts. In an exclusive interview with the Anadolu Agency (AA) in the northern Iraqi city of Sulaymaniyah, al-Hashimi said that "the timing of the arrest warrant was very interesting. There is a political vacuum in Iraq. I believe that the vacuum was caused by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki who wants to rule Iraq alone and with a single political party". We want to put things into order in Iraq. Our intention is to raise the living standards of the Iraqi people, al-Hashimi noted. Apparently, al-Maliki would like to erase the whole opposition. He began his work by trying to erase al-Hashimi and other political figures. The Kurdish leaders are next in line to be erased by al-Maliki. Maliki does not even want to listen to opposition figures, al-Hashimi said. In regard to rumors that Iraq may be divided into three parts, al-Hashimi said that those who make such remarks want to create a clash among sects. I have been in politics for the past eight years and the Iraqi people know and love me. All accusations against me were designed to erase me from politics, al-Hashimi stressed. I have had no dirty works or secret political agenda. I have not done nothing against the Iraqi Constitution. All the accusations directed at me surprised both the Iraqi people and me, al-Hashimi said. The judiciary functions more independently and effectively in the north of Iraq. As such the legal process should be carried out in north of Iraq, al-Hashimi said. We had to open a new page after U.S. troops left Iraq. However, the reverse took place. It is painful to see that al-Maliki has turned our day of happiness into sadness, al-Hashimi underlined. I am not guilty. I have not even hurt an animal let alone kill an Iraqi, al-Hashimi said. -Message to Turkey- I do have a message to Turkey, al-Hashimi said. The Republic of Turkey is our neighbor and have done its best for Iraq since 2003. Turkey must be aware of certain countries interfering in Iraq's local politics and trying to create problems. What is taking place in Iraq today poses a risk to the whole region. I hope that Turkey will continue to work for a modern, open, and free Iraq as it did in the past, al-Hashimi also said.