Iraq's foreign minister says Kurds suspend all participation in government

Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari attends the preparatory meeting of Arab Foreign Ministers in Kuwait City March 23, 2014. REUTERS/Stephanie McGehee/Files

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's Foreign Minsiter Hoshiyar Zebari said on Friday that the Kurdish political bloc has ended all partipation in the national government in protest over Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's saying that Kurds are hosting terrorists in their capital Arbil. "We have suspended our government business," said Zebari. The Kurds said on Thursday they were cancelling their participation in cabinet meetings. However, Zebari told Reuters that Kurdish ministers were now suspending their day-to-day running of his ministry, the trade ministry, the ministry of migration, the health ministry and the deputy premiership. (Reporting by Ned Parker; Editing by Louise Ireland)