Prime Minister-designate Nouri al-Maliki will present his Cabinet to parliament on Saturday, signaling a possible end to months of uncertainty after legislative elections, Shiite and Sunni deputies said.

 

Al-Maliki "will present his government to the presidency today, and the presidency will refer it tomorrow to the parliamentary council," Deputy Speaker Khalid al-Atiya, a Shiite, said yesterday.

 

"On Saturday, the parliament will convene to vote on each of al-Maliki's nominees and the government's program."

 

Adnan al-Dulaimi, head of the Sunni Arab Accordance Front said parliament "would be convened on Saturday to vote on al-Maliki's government." The makeup of the Cabinet was not released.

 

Al-Dulaimi said he did not know what decision had been made regarding the defense and interior ministries.

 

"I don't know whether it is complete yet," he said of the Cabinet.

 

The two main Sunni Arab factions which represent 55 seats in the 275-member parliament had demanded that they either be given or be allowed to appoint the defense minister.

 

In return, the dominant Shiite United Iraqi Alliance, with 130 seats, would get the Interior Ministry, which runs the police. Such a deal would balance out the two most powerful security ministries in Iraq.

 

Sunni Arab deputies confirmed that Cabinet list would be presented at a session on Saturday, two days before the constitutionally mandated deadline for al-Maliki to present the Cabinet. Parliament was originally to have convened Sunday, after having met Wednesday.

 

Under the constitution, parliament -- officially the Council of Representatives -- must then approve each proposed minister by an absolute majority.

 

(Chinadaily.com.cn via agencies, May 18, 2006)