WASHINGTON, August 14 (RIA Novosti) - US President Barack Obama urged Iraq to form an inclusive government as soon as possible.
“We are urging Iraqis to come together to turn the tide against ISIL [IS] above all by seizing the enormous opportunity of forming a new inclusive government under the leadership of prime minister-designate Abadi,” Obama said.
The president also noted that he spoke to Haider Abadi recently and urged him to form a government that “speaks to all the people of Iraq.”
“He still has a challenging task of putting a government together, but we are modestly hopeful that the Iraqi government situation is moving in the right direction,” Obama added.
Earlier this week, Iraqi President Fouad Masum asked Abadi to set up a new government, despite opposition from incumbent Iraqi leader Nouri Maliki.
Iraq is currently facing a serious threat from the Sunni extremist group Islamic State. In early June IS militants seized large parts of the northern Iraq territories and later announced the establishment of a caliphate on the occupied land.
