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Iraq FM 'Zebari' urges cautious government
formation
20.2.2006
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BAGHDAD, Feb 20,
(Reuters) - Iraq's foreign minister said on Sunday
political parties should take their time forming a
new government or risk making the same mistakes and
"broken promises" as the outgoing cabinet.
Hoshiyar Zebari, a prominent Kurdish leader,
predicted talks on the formation of a new government
after the December 15 polls would take even longer
than months of negotiations following last January's
polls.
Formal negotiations have yet to start two months
after the polls, which gave the Shi'ite alliance --
the main partner in the outgoing government -- a
near majority in parliament.
"Up to now we haven't delved into territories of
dividing ministries and posts or so on," he told
Reuters in an interview. |
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiar Zebari |
"This time it will be more difficult. We need more
patience and focus, we need negotiations in good
faith. In my view it is better to get it right than
fast."
Zebari warned that moving too fast could backfire,
as Shi'ites and Kurds jockey to maintain their
dominance while trying to accommodate Arab Sunnis
who are key to taming the Sunni insurgency.
Iraqis have grown increasingly frustrated with their
leaders' failure to ease daily bloodshed, improve
water and electricity services, and rescue an
economy few investors will touch despite the
country's vast oil wealth.
Politicians have been hampered by sectarian and
ethnic tensions that have fueled violence and
paralysed decision-making at a time when Iraqis need
strong leadership.
Divisions within the dominant Shi'ite alliance could
paralyze the new government and failure to give Arab
Sunni leaders enough power in the new cabinet could
fuel guerrilla violence.
BLAME GAME
The Kurds have accused outgoing Shi'ite Islamist
Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari of monopolising
power, fuelling suspicions among Iraqi leaders who
face the challenge of putting together a balanced
government.
Zebari said Jaafari, who is likely to keep his job
as a member of the biggest bloc in parliament, has
failed to improve the plight of Iraqis who have
watched an insurgency tear apart their country.
He also noted the outgoing Shi'ite-Kurdish
government had failed to settle the status of the
ethnically divided northern oil city of Kirkuk,
which Kurds want as the future capital of their
autonomous northern region.
"He (Jaafari) hasn't succeeded. I am not blaming him
but he was the leader," said Zebari, a member of a
Kurdish alliance that won 53 seats in parliament.
But Zebari signaled Kurds had no choice but to enter
an uneasy alliance with Shi'ites because they do not
have enough seats in parliament to form a coalition
with other parties.
"We can block the formation of the government but we
can't form the government with others mainly because
we can't gain the two thirds (majority)," he said.
Zebari said Iraqis were sceptical about their
future.
"Many people reflect on the performance of the
government ... and over the broken promises and
commitments and whether there will be a repeat of
that or there will be a new start," he said.
Reuters
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