BAGHDAD — For Iraq, wracked by sectarian violence, the prospect of its leaders forming a new government is still elusive.
Politicians acknowledge that the major Iraqi parties remain far apart in
their efforts to form a ruling coalition. They said disagreements focus on
power-sharing, ministerial portfolios and a platform.
On Thursday, Iraq's new parliament convened for the first time since its
election on Dec. 15, 2005. The parliamentary session lasted 30 minutes in
absence of an agreement on a speaker or agenda, Middle East Newsline reported.
"We're still a long way from agreeing on a government," Kurdish
representative Mahmud Othman said. "I expect that there still will be
difficulties over choosing the prime minister."
Hassan Shumari, a member of the Shi'ite-dominated United Iraqi Alliance,
agreed. Shumari said he did not expect the formation of a government before
May 2006.
"It is difficult to chose a new speaker and his deputies until a deal is
reached on the entire government package," outgoing parliamentary speaker
Hajem Al Hassani said.
Politicians said the coalition effort, supported by the United States,
has been hampered by fears of a civil war. They point to increasing distrust
between Shi'ite and Sunni representatives amid sectarian violence that has
resulted in more than 650 dead since the bombing of a Shi'ite mosque on Feb.
22.
The coalition talks have been stuck over a series of issues, politicians
said. They said Kurds and Sunnis object to the Shi'ite proposal that Prime
Minister Ibrahim Jaafari continue in his post.
Other key disagreements concerned who would head the Defense Ministry
and Interior Ministry. In the outgoing government, the Defense Ministry was
headed by a Sunni and the Interior Ministry by a Shi'ite.
A third dispute focused on the authority of the prime minister. Kurds
and Sunnis want all decisions approved by the entire Cabinet. The United
Iraqi Alliance, with 130 out of the 275-member parliament, wants the prime
minister empowered to act without Cabinet approval.
In Washington, Central Command chief Gen. John Abizaid again called on
the Iraqi Defense and Interior ministries to operate free of sectarian
influences. Abizaid said the United States planned to transfer security
responsibility of most of Iraq to its military and police by the end of the
year.
"In fact, by the end of the year," Abizaid told the House Armed Services
Committee on Wednesday, "it is our desire that the Iraqis will have the vast
majority of the lead in fighting the insurgency and dealing with the
security problems that certainly will continue to be in Iraq."
"We expect Iraqi security forces to be in the lead on sectarian issues,"
Abizaid added. "And we will assist them to the point that we can when they
need assistance."
