Prime Minister-designate Nouri al-Maliki will present his
Cabinet to parliament on Saturday, signaling a possible end to
months of uncertainty after legislative elections, Shiite and Sunni
deputies said.
Al-Maliki "will present his government to the presidency today,
and the presidency will refer it tomorrow to the parliamentary
council," Deputy Speaker Khalid al-Atiya, a Shiite, said
yesterday.
"On Saturday, the parliament will convene to vote on each of
al-Maliki's nominees and the government's program."
Adnan al-Dulaimi, head of the Sunni Arab Accordance Front said
parliament "would be convened on Saturday to vote on al-Maliki's
government." The makeup of the Cabinet was not released.
Al-Dulaimi said he did not know what decision had been made
regarding the defense and interior ministries.
"I don't know whether it is complete yet," he said of the
Cabinet.
The two main Sunni Arab factions which represent 55 seats in the
275-member parliament had demanded that they either be given or be
allowed to appoint the defense minister.
In return, the dominant Shiite United Iraqi Alliance, with 130
seats, would get the Interior Ministry, which runs the police. Such
a deal would balance out the two most powerful security ministries
in Iraq.
Sunni Arab deputies confirmed that Cabinet list would be
presented at a session on Saturday, two days before the
constitutionally mandated deadline for al-Maliki to present the
Cabinet. Parliament was originally to have convened Sunday, after
having met Wednesday.
Under the constitution, parliament -- officially the Council of
Representatives -- must then approve each proposed minister by an
absolute majority.
(Chinadaily.com.cn via agencies, May 18, 2006)
