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Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, did not name the groups, but indicated that they included groups connected to the old regime, in the framework of reconciliation in order to stop the violence in the country.
Maliki said in a press conference in Baghdad that there is an opportunity for reconciliation through the conference on Iraq which will be convened in the Egyptian town of Sharm al-Shaykh this next month.
In remarks last Wednesday, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani revealed that the Iraqi government had contacts with five armed groups, which he did not identify.
However, a security source confirmed that the five groups are: the Islamic Army, the 1920 Brigades, the Jaysh al Rashidin, the Fatih Brigades, and the General Command of the Armed Forces, al-Jazeera Net reports.
Given the often fragmented nature of the Iraqi government, it is not known at this time if Maliki and Talibani are referring to the same negotiations, or different talks in parallel.
