Maliki's Dawa Party backs his replacement as Iraq PM

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The Dawa Party of Iraq's Nuri al-Maliki on Wednesday called on Iraqi politicians to work with his replacement as prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, to form a new government. In a statement, the Dawa Party said it "called on political blocs to cooperate with the constitutionally designated prime minister, Mr. Abadi, and accelerate the formation of a government in the defined time period." Maliki has refused to stand aside. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Writing by Alexander Dziadosz)