Iraqi President Jalal Talabani warned political parties on Monday it was vital to accelerate efforts to form a broad government to stop any slide into civil war after bombs killed 52 people in a Shi'ite Baghdad slum, according to Reuters. The bodies of four men suspected of involvement in the blasts hung from pylons, residents of the Shi'ite Sadr City district said. Police said a sign left by the bodies, bearing gunshot and torture wounds, read: "These are the traitors". A government of national unity encompassing Kurds, Sunnis and the majority Shi'ites is widely seen as the best way to bring stability to the country, but three months after elections political leaders are deadlocked over who should lead it. "The terrorists, infidels and Saddam Hussein's followers are seeking to spread the spirit of separation and exploiting gaps left by any delay in the political process," said Talabani, according to Reuters. "It is the duty of the political blocs to intensify their efforts to form a government and establish a broad front to achieve security and stability," he said in a statement. Politicians said they would step up negotiations but doubted a deal would be possible by the time the parliament elected in December meets for its first session on Thursday. "The meetings will be hours and hours long, all leaderships will meet at one table in order to agree," said Zafir al-Ani, a spokesman for the Accordance Front, the biggest Sunni bloc. "We wish we could reach a deal by Thursday but I think it will be very difficult," he told Reuters.
