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Iraq cabinet formed

by Al Jazeera
Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Ibrahim al-Jafari has announced he has formed a cabinet, more than 12 weeks after historic general elections.
After nearly three months of protracted political haggling, the vote took place on Wednesday, a senior member of the ruling alliance said.

Al-Jafari's announcement came shortly after armed men shot and killed a member of Iraq's parliament outside her home in eastern Baghdad.

Iraqi police identified the victim as Lamia Abid Khadawi, a member of caretaker Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's political party.

Khadawi is thought to be the first person in the 275-member National Assembly to be killed.

Disagreements

Officials said late on Tuesday that al-Jafari had presented his government line-up to President Jalal Talabani.

But he did not make the names public because of last-minute disagreements over some appointments, al-Maliki said.

"There are still problems in deciding who will hold the oil and interior ministries," he said on Tuesday.

There was no immediate word on whether all differences had been resolved.

First fatality

Possible make-up Iraqi media sources said the United Iraqi Alliance (UIA) would get 17 cabinet posts. The Kurds would get nine portfolios, including the Foreign Ministry, while Sunni Arabs would get seven portfolios, including the Defence Ministry.

The Christian and Turkmen minorities were expected to get one ministry each.

Iraqi media sources said that Sadun al-Dulaymi, a Sunni, would be named defence minister.

In an effort to spread power among the nation's ethnic groups, al-Jafari will choose three deputy premiers: Roj Nuri Shaways, a Kurd, former Pentagon favourite Ahmad Chalabi and Sunni legislator Saad al-Lahabi.

Several ministers would remain at their posts, including Foreign Minister Hushyar Zibari, a Kurd, and Minister of Public Works Mustafa Barwari.

Iraqi media said Sami al-Majun would become minister of justice and Ali Abd al-Amir Allawi would be minister of finance.

Supporters of outgoing Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, a secular pro-Western Shia, were not expected to participate in the new government after al-Jafari rejected their terms.

Drive-by shooting

In Wednesday's other violent incidents, an Iraqi general was seriously wounded in a drive-by shooting while leaving his Baghdad home, an Interior Ministry official said.

Two of the general's guards were killed and a passing civilian was injured.

General Jihad Luaibi, a police anti-corruption inspector-general, was transferred to a US-run hospital after armed men in two cars opened fire outside his home in a western district of the capital.

Aljazeera + Agencies

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/FF51030C-9D02-4CD0-8DFF-21E38977983D.htm

Iraq's new prime minister has submitted his new government for approval, ending months of political deadlock.

Ibrahim Jaafari's proposal, to include representatives all of Iraq's main ethnic and religious groups, needs to be approved a majority of MPs.

Earlier a woman MP was shot dead at her home in Baghdad, the first MP killed by insurgents since elections in January.

The US says slow progress towards forming a stable government since then has hindered security efforts.

Mr Jaafari told a news conference that he had finalised his government list, but did not reveal who he had nominated for individual posts.

There are indications that Sunni Arabs, who boycotted January's elections, are poised to receive several key portfolios.

At least seven women are also thought to be among the 32 or 33 names on Mr Jaafari's list.

Majority needed

The BBC's Jim Muir in Baghdad says the announcement will come as a huge relief to many ordinary Iraqis who risked their lives to vote.

Mr Jaafari submitted his list to Iraq's three-man presidential council, who will in turn submit it to MPs in the country's National Assembly.

A vote is expected to be held on Thursday, with a simple majority needed among the 275 members for the government to win approval.

If all goes well the new government could be functioning within a few days, our correspondent says.

Shortly before Mr Jaafari's announcement, gunmen killed MP Lamia Abed Khadouri at her home in Baghdad.

Police said gunmen knocked at her door and shot her when she answered.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4490577.stm

Audio Report On New Government:
http://stream.guardian.co.uk:7080/ramgen/sys-audio/Guardian/audio/2005/04/27/270405Carroll.ra
by Juan Cole (reposted)
Al-Hayat says that Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani had pressed for 10 of the cabinet posts in the new government of Ibrahim Jaafari to go to Sunni Arabs. In the end, only 6 did, with 8 for the Kurds and some 16 or 17 (reports differ) for Shiites. Some 7 are women.

Al-Hayat was told by insiders that the negotiations with the Sunni Arabs were made more difficult because they insisted on an end to debaathification and the adoption of a stronger Arab nationalist line by the new government. Apparently two possible candidates for minister of defense, which went to the Sunni Arabs, were dropped because of Shiite suspicions that they had Baath party links.

Ash-Sharq al-Awsat says that there are 32 cabinet members, while wire service reports give as many as 36. SA identifies some cabinet members, which other sources do not:
Bayan Sulagh, Minister of Interior [Sulagh is a Turkmen and former minister of housing, and I'd be shocked if he was really given Interior, which the Badr Organization wanted); Ali Abdul Amir Allawi, Finance; Ra`d al-Haris, Electricity; Abdul Falah al-Sudani, Education; Sami al-Muzaffar, Higher Education; Abdul Mutallib al-Rubai`i, Health; Abdul Husain Shandal, Justice; Salam Awdah al-Maliki, Transportation; Suhail Abid Jaafar al-Faili [Kurdish Shiite], Immigrants and Immigration; Talib `Aziz, Youth and Sports; Abdul Karim al-Unzi [Islamic Dawa], National Security; Hashim al-Hashimi, Provincial Affairs; Alaa al-Safi, Parliamentary Affairs; Ali al-Bahadili, Agriculture; Hushyar Zibari, Foreign Ministry; Latif Rashid, Water; Abd al-Basit Turki, Trade; Bakhtiar Amin, Human Rights; Narmin Uthman, Labor and Social Affairs; Javan Fuad Masoum, Communications; Nasrin Barwari, Municipalities and Public Works; Fadil Abbas, Housing and Reconstruction. Jaafari's choices for a number of ministries, especially those to be filled by Sunni Arabs, still have not been announced or discovered by the press. Some ministries, such as petroleum, remain controversial, and may be filled by an interim appointment until the issue can be resolved (the Sadrist Fadila Party wants the petroleum ministry).

http://www.juancole.com/2005/04/new-cabinet-al-hayat-says-that-grand.html
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