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BAGHDAD -
Protracted negotiations on Iraq's long awaited
national unity government are expected to resume on
Saturday after a week long suspension, a member of
the Kurdish Alliance said.
"The political groups agreed to restart talks on
Saturday," said Abdel Khaleq Zangana, adding that
they will be discussing the powers of the new
National Security Council and its chairmanship.
With Iraq still without a new government three
months after a landmark election, the Shiite, Sunni
and Kurdish factions agreed last week on the
principle of creating the council to address
questions of security, but did not agree precisely
on its powers.
The dominant Shiite parties want it to be an
advisory body while the Sunnis and Kurds hoping for
it to have executive authority.
Iraq's new parliament was elected on December 15,
but did not hold its inaugural session until March
16 and there is no word as to when it will
reconvene.
Zafer al-Ani of the Sunni Arab National Concord
Front suggested that the assembly will "convene as
soon as an agreement is made on the speaker of the
parliament and his two deputies and that should come
in around ten days."
On Monday, Kurdish politician Mahmoud Othman said
the security council would be composed of 19 members
and any decisions would be agreed on by a two thirds
majority.
The council will consist of nine people from the
conservative Shiite United Iraqi Alliance, four from
the Kurdish Alliance, three for the National Concord
Front, two from former premier Iyad Allawi's secular
National List and one from Sunni politician Saleh
Mutlaq's party.
The council, which is not provided for in the
constitution, was a compromise between the different
parties to address Kurdish and Sunni fears over
Shiite dominance of the security agencies.
In the three months since elections, violence and
unrest have beset the country and many are hoping
the long awaited new government will be the first
step on the road back to stability.
US President George W. Bush as well as US senators
have urged the Iraqi parties to swiftly form a new
government.
AFP
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