After months of unremitting violence, turbulence and serious skepticism from the outside world, Iraqis have finally taken the arduous and essential step towards stabilizing their strife-ravaged country. 

Now the country's Transitional National Assembly has elected as president Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani -- who appointed Shi'ite leader Ibrahim al-Jaafari as the new prime minister the next day -- a gleam of hope has emerged. Iraq might now be able to say goodbye to the disorder that has prevailed since Saddam Hussein's fall. It might now be able to embrace a new society and the rule of law.

The new prime minister is to form his cabinet within weeks, in which he said he would include some women and representatives of Iraq's various ethnic and religious groups.

"The establishment of the new Iraqi government means that the country has made a substantial stride forward in its political reconstruction process," said Li Xuejiang, a commentator at the People's Daily.

"As the result of repeated bargaining, struggles and compromise, the crystallization of the leadership in the first elected government in decades has at least temporarily ended months-long division among political and ethnic groups on how the country's power should be distributed," said Li Guofu, a senior researcher with the China Institute of International Studies.

"That will help the violence-torn country realize much-needed stability as soon as possible and go ahead with the planned political process" Li said.

Besides electing Talabani as president, the 275-member parliament also elected Shi'ite Islamist Adel Abdel Mahdi and outgoing Sunni President Ghazi al-Yawar as vice presidents of the three-men presidential council.

Two days earlier, the Transitional National Assembly elected Hajim al-Hassani, a Sunni who served as the industry minister in the Iraqi interim government, as speaker of the parliament.

In the new government to be formed by prime minister-designate Jaafari, key ministries are also expected to be distributed among various political and ethnic factions.

"The power sharing in the new government means various political and ethnic factions have basically reached an agreement on Iraq's power arrangement, which will help the country press ahead with its sluggish political reconstruction, economic development and social stability," said Yang Hongxi, a researcher with the China Center of Contemporary World Studies.

After his election, Talabani drafted his vision of how to transform his country into a prosperous beacon of democracy in the Middle East.

"We must work for Iraq's proud return to civilization and to its Islamic and Arabic heritage. We must work to be a true partner with neighboring nations," he said.

He also appealed to Iraqis from all walks of life to work to find a new country "free of sectarian and ethnic persecution, free of hegemony and oppression" and urged Iraqi insurgents to sit down and talk with the new government.

"Different from the line-up of the interim government, which embodied US wishes to a large extent, the formation of the freely elected government has more or less reflected the opinions and wishes of the Iraqi people," Li Guofu said.

"As the result of weeks of talks and negotiations between the Shi'ite-Kurdish alliance and the Sunnis, Talabani's election as president demonstrates the recognition he has received from various political forces. Thus, there are good reasons to believe he can help his country steer clear of chaos," he added.

The elections for the new government in Iraq, which has been plagued by violence and chaos, are certainly an encouraging event welcomed by the international community.

As the new government picks candidates for its key positions, Talabani, Jaafari and their colleagues are expected to face an uphill task in steering their country in the direction they have promised and mapped out.

"The imminent task facing the new government is to draft a permanent constitution," Li Guofu said.

"The challenge lies in whether the government will write a new constitution or make one based upon the interim constitution, which was passed on March 8, 2004 and embodied US opinions to some extent," he said.

According to Iraq's postwar political arrangements, the new government is responsible for drafting a permanent constitution before August 15, which is scheduled to be voted on by referendum before October 15. If that is approved, the country is to hold fresh elections on December 15 to produce a new parliament and government.

"Different opinions among various political factions towards the constitution may possibly hamper its creation, and even postpone it to an indefinite date," Li said.

"Also, how to define the role of Islam will be another ticklish issue the new government should resolve," the researcher predicted.

In his early years, Jaafari once advocated overthrowing Iraq's secular regime in favor of an Islamic state.

Despite his call for national unity and his avoidance of mentioning his earlier advocacy of an Islamic state, Jaafari's appointment has still raised fears among some Sunnis and Kurds that he may still wish to move Iraq in that direction.

"How to deal with the US military presence in Iraq poses another major challenge to the new government," Yang Hongxi said.

Last Saturday, thousands of supporters of radical Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who once led uprisings against US troops, staged a massive protest demanding the departure of Americans from Iraq.

However, so far the United States has not put forward a definite timetable for withdrawal of American troops.

"How to define and limit the role of the United States in Iraq will play an important role in stabilizing the country sooner," Yang said. "The retaining of American troops will continue to brew new anti-American insurgences in the country."

His opinion was echoed by Li Guofu.

"The possibility cannot be ruled out that Iraq's situation will become more complicated," said Li.

(China Daily April 15, 2005)