Baghdad: The Iraqi prime minister and president declared a new coalition of moderate Shias and Kurds, alleging Sunni moderates defied to join but the door remained open to them.

Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki articulated the contract was the initial step to unfreeze political stagnancy that has gripped his Shia-led governance since it first accepted control in May 2006.

The declaration after three days of strong political discussions in the capital was unsatisfactory as it did not take in Iraq's Sunni Vice-President Tariq Al-Hashemi and his moderate Iraqi Islamic Party.