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.

"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 paralyzed 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 monopolizing 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 skeptical 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.

(Chinadaily.com via agencies February 20, 2006)