Iraq parliament meets but no agreement on government

Iraq’s new parliament met for the first time yesterday more than six weeks after elections. But rival blocs failed to agree on a government and Al Qaida insurgents targeted the meeting with a mortar barrage. During the two-hour inaugural ceremony, politicians pledged stability in Iraq, after windows rattled and lights flickered when mortars struck the fortified Green Zone compound.
No damage or casualties were reported in the attack claimed by Al Qaida’s wing in Iraq. US President George W. Bush called the session a “hopeful moment”. Iraqi politicians described it was a step forwards for the country despite a failure to appoint a government.
“We are part of history,” said Ebrahim Bahr Al Uloum, a candidate for oil minister. “This assembly has to succeed in charting the principles of a democratic, united Iraq.” But without a government in place, the parliament cannot yet draft legislation to try to bring normality to a country plagued by relentless violence.
The Shiite Islamist alliance that won 140 seats —just over half of the 275-member National Assembly — and the Kurdish coalition that came second with 75 seats are stuck in negotiations over a government that have dragged on for weeks.
There is tentative agreement that Ebrahim Jaafari of the Shiite Dawa party will be prime minister and Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani will be president, with a Sunni Arab candidate probably being offered the job of parliament speaker.
Jaafari said a deal would be reached soon. “Within two weeks you will see the birth of a new government.”