Iraq parliament date to be announced tomorrow

BAGHDAD, Apr 11 (Reuters) Iraq's parliament, which must approve any nominee for prime minister, will meet at a date likely to be announced tomorrow, an assembly spokesman said.

Acting Speaker Adnan Pachachi was expected to set the date for parliament's next session, the spokesman said today.

He did not specify its agenda, but the announcement could signal movement in intense efforts to break a deadlock on forming a new unity government four months after elections.

The main Shi'ite alliance, lacking an overall majority in parliament, was expected to yield to Kurdish and Sunni pressure to drop Ibrahim al-Jaafari as its choice for prime minister.

The alliance was expected to hold talks on Tuesday to make a decision on Jaafari, after one of its component parties offered to find a replacement.

REUTERS CH RK1540