Iraq parlt to vote on new govt May 20 -lawmakers

BAGHDAD, May 17 (Reuters) An Iraqi parliamentary speaker told the chamber to reconvene on Saturday for a vote to confirm the appointment of a government, signalling the prime minister was close to a deal on a cabinet, lawmakers said today.

A source close to Prime Minister-designate Nuri al-Maliki said he hoped to be able to finalise his line-up tomorrow four days ahead of a deadline. Parliamentary speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani could not immediately be reached for comment.

''Parliament has received a letter from Maliki asking us to meet and vote to approve his cabinet,'' Sunni legislator Hussein al-Falluji told Reuters after the session.

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