The president's goal is a stable, democratic Iraq

Azzaman Online:

A statement by the Iraqi parliament urges Prime Minister Nour al-Maliki to close down Azzaman newspaper.

The statement also asks Maliki to ban Al-Sharqiya television, the nation-wide network operated in coordination with Azzaman newspaper.

The statement issued Monday cites what the parliament describes the outlets’ coverage of a recent draft law the legislators passed on turning the country into a federal state.

Both the newspaper and al-Sharqiya television were critical of the law, warning that it represents a prelude to the division of the country on sectarian and ethnic grounds.

Azzamman is Iraq’s most read newspaper. Al-Shariqiya is the most viewed television network in the country.