Iraq PM says hopes to form govt within day or two

Baghdad, May 9: Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Nuri al-Maliki said today he expected to be able to form a government within the next couple of days.

''Maybe today or tomorrow, we will complete the formation of the government,'' the Shi'ite Islamist told a news conference.

''We have achieved much and there is little left to do.'' Maliki has nearly another two weeks under a constitutional deadline to present a cabinet to parliament but negotiators have been voicing confidence that agreement among the main Shi'ite, Kurdish and Sunni factions was not far off.

After months of political deadlock following a December election, the United States has exerted heavy pressure on Maliki's dominant Shi'ite Alliance to form a government of national unity that Washington says is key to staunching mounting sectarian bloodshed and averting civil war.

A key issue in forming the government against the background of sectarian violence among rival militias and rebel groups has been control of the defence and interior ministries.

''The heads of the parliamentary groups have agreed that the heads of these two ministries should be independent and not belong to any party that runs a militia,'' Maliki said.

This would suggest that Interior Minister Bayan Jabor is likely to go. A member of the SCIRI Shi'ite Islamist party which controls the armed Badr movement, Jabor has been accused of condoning police death squads. Though he denies it, the US ambassador has made clear Washington wants him out of his job.

Defence Minister Saadoun Dulaimi, a Sunni independent, is more low key but negotiators have said he is not likely to keep his post.

Reuters

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