Sunnis End Boycott and Rejoin Iraqi Government

by Campbell Robertson and Sabrina Tavernise The New York Times BAGHDAD -- Iraqi lawmakers cleared an important hurdle on Saturday by approving the appointment of six Sunni cabinet ministers after a yearlong boycott by the Also on Saturday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain made an unannounced visit to Iraq. He held talks with senior Iraqi officials in Baghdad, including Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki and President Jalal Talabani, and then flew to the southern city of Basra to meet with British troops. The Sunni ministers approved by Parliament were all members of Tawafiq, the largest Sunni bloc, which had been boycotting Mr. Maliki's government since last August. The return of Tawafiq is a significant political victory for Mr. Maliki, who has been trying to cement his reputation as a national leader who transcends... [read full story]