Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki asks the Kurdish region to hand over Tareq al-Hashimi, threatens to replace Iraqiya bloc.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki threatened on Wednesday to replace ministers belonging to the Iraqiya bloc should they continued to boycott the national unity cabinet.

"Ministers have no right to suspend their membership in the government because they will be considered resigned," he said at a news conference in Baghdad. "In the next cabinet meeting, if they do not come back, we will appoint replacements."

Maliki earlier called for the autonomous Kurdish region to hand over the Vice President Tareq al-Hashimi who is wanted for suspected ties to assassinations and bombings.

"We call for the government of the Kurdistan region to take its responsibility and hand over Hashemi to the justice system," Maliki told a news conference in Baghdad.

"We do not accept any interference in Iraqi justice."

Al-Maliki rejected Hashemi's calls for Arab League representatives to observe the investigation and any questioning, telling reporters: "This is a criminal case, and there is no need for the Arab League and the world to have a role in this."

Iraqiya, which controls nine ministerial posts and 82 seats in the 325-member legislature, has not pulled out of the government but has boycotted parliament and cabinet.

Iraqi authorities issued on Monday arrest warrant for al-Hashemi on “terrorism charges” related to alleged links to assassinations of government officials. The authorities also banned him from travelling overseas.

Al-Hashemi on Tuesday rejected the charges, saying he was "ready to face trial". He also called for representatives of the Arab League to take part in the investigation and any questioning, and said apparent confessions aired on state television linking him to attacks were fabricated.