ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi rejected foreign intervention in government formation talks, condemned the electoral commission’s statement of an impending civil war, and said he wouldn’t mind another term. "I am fearful of the intervention of countries. That is why we are notifying them all — that we thank your compassion towards us, we thank your care for Iraq, but please don't interfere in our affairs,” Abadi told journalists in his weekly press conference on Tuesday. He argued that intervention and political parties sitting down with other countries weren’t positive for Iraq because Iraqis voted for the parties to come to consensus amongst themselves, not for foreign dictation. Abadi confirmed he is open to a second term in office. "We don't mind. This in the end is part of the political process. I thank them for their confidence. I thank all the political blocs who express their belief and their support for the necessity of the continuation of the previous path in running the state,” said Abadi. The prime minister sees more a more fiscally-responsible government as good for Iraqis. "We need a government that is strong, backed, and a government fully dedicated to serving the citizens. We can't keep walking on the same path, which is unlimited expenditure,” Abadi argued. He announced that the electricity would soon improve with the opening of a power station. A surprising hot season and lack of maintenance resulted in electricity supplies being poor, Abadi said. Abadi also touched on Iraq’s High Independent and Electoral Commission’s warning of an impending civil war following the Iraqi’s parliament deciding to manually recount 10 percent of votes and rejecting the IDP, conditional and diaspora votes except for Nineveh. "I was dismayed when I heard that statement frankly. It is a wrong statement,” Abadi said, arguing it was the job of the commission to prevent violations. "I don't think there is readiness by the political sides to enter into, god forbidden, a civil war,” posited Abadi. He warned of the danger of political emptiness if the results are rejected; calling on all political parties to undertake necessary legal and constitutional measures for complaining about violations, arguing his party also lost a lot. Abadi’s speech comes at a time when Iraqi elections resulted in surprising results, prompting difficult government talks. Both the notorious Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and the US special presidential envoy Brett McGurk have been to Iraq to meet parties to impact government formation talks. Abadi’s Nasr Coalition earned the third-most seats behind Muqtada al-Sadr’s Sayirun list, and Hadi al-Amiri’s Fatih list. All are Shiite-dominated.
