Iraq MPs vote on new Cabinet

IRAQ: More than nine months after March 7 elections resulted in a prolonged political deadlock in Iraq, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki Monday presented part of his new Government to Parliament.

Iraqi lawmakers to vote yesterday on the list submitted by the premier, parliament speaker Osama al-Nujaifi said. “Parliament received the program and the names. There will be a session after 2:00 pm (1100 GMT) tomorrow for voting on the new ministers,” Nujaifi told a news conference in Baghdad. “Our desire is to build a strong government capable of solving the crisis of the country, and we will be proud of that,” he said.

Maliki indicated to reporters that his task had not been easy. “The process of distributing the ministries was difficult, and forming a national unity government is a difficult job, because you have to find a place for each winner,” Maliki said. “Tomorrow, the names will be announced, and some names need to be studied,” he said.

The proposed appointments include Hoshyar Zebari retaining his post as foreign minister, outgoing deputy prime minister Rafa al-Essawi becoming head of the finance ministry and deputy oil minister Abdulkarim al-Luaybi taking charge of that ministry, according to Hassan Sineid, a deputy close to Maliki. Baghdad, Tuesday, AFP