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BAGHDAD: United Alliance and Kurdish parties
laboured to reach a deal on a national unity
government, when the historic first session of the
newly-elected parliament being held today.
Italy has also announced partial troops withdrawal
from Iraq.
United Alliance and Kurdish parties were engaged in
the eleventh-hour talks aimed to break a stalemate
between the parties.
Prime Minister Iyad Allawi held a closed door
meeting with Kurd leaders while Hushyar Zebari says
the time needed to reach an agreement for coalition.
The Kurds on Sunday had rejected a draft agreement
they negotiated with the
all-powerful Shiite United Iraqi Alliance (UIA) on
the terms for forming a coalition government.
Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani said the negotiations
were at an impasse over Kurdish demands on the
ethnically-divided city of Kirkuk and the status of
their peshmerga fighters.
Iraq's presidency will likely go to a Kurd and the
two deputies will be a Shiite and a Sunni Muslim.
The leading contenders are Kurdish leader Talabani
for the presidency and outgoing Shiite finance
minister Adel Abdul Mehdi for one of the two deputy
slots.
The UIA, which has garned 146 of the 275 seats in
the parliament, has nominated Dawa chief Ibrahim al-Jafaari
to be prime minister.
Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi talking
with Italian TV has announced partial pullout of the
troops from Iraq.
News Agencies
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