Iraqi leaders meet in bid to end political paralysis

---

BAGHDAD, Aug 19 (AFP): Iraq's fractious political leaders were to hold another round of talks Sunday in an attempt to salvage Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's embattled unity government, an official said.
The talks come after Iraq's top Shiite and Kurdish leaders formed a new political alliance Thursday, but without rival Sunni leaders.
Talks grouping Maliki, Kurdish President Jalal Talabani, Sunni Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, Shiite Vice President Adel Abdel Mahdi, and Masud Barzani, president of the northern Kurdish region, began Saturday and were to continue Sunday, the official from Talabani's office said.
"Yesterday the three-member presidency, the prime minister and Mr. Masud Barzani held a meeting to look into ways of solving outstanding issues and to decide on the summit," he said, referring to a political summit called by Maliki at a date still to be specified.
"Today there are more meetings between the leaders. The summit will be held a couple of days later," the official said, describing the weekend talks as "preparatory."
The disenchanted Sunni faction left Maliki's Shiite-dominated government on August 1, but the prime minister stresses that the door remains open for their return.