Government May Be Formed Soon

The Shiite Muslim politician likely to be Iraq’s next prime minister said Saturday that the country’s long-awaited government could be formed within days, ending nearly two months of tortured negotiations since the nation’s historic Jan. 30 vote.

“God willing, the government could witness its birth in the coming few days,” Ibrahim Jafari said.

Members of the country’s new 275-member National Assembly were sworn in during the first session March 16. But officials have repeatedly postponed a second session as talks have dragged on over the division of top Cabinet posts among Iraq’s religious and ethnic groups.

Jawad Maliki, a negotiator from the Shiite-led United Iraqi Alliance, which won a slim majority of the assembly’s seats, said members of parliament agreed to meet Tuesday, but it was unclear if they would choose a president -- expected to be Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani.

Six members of the U.S. Congress met with Iraqi politicians Saturday to assess progress toward building a new political and security apparatus that would allow an eventual U.S. withdrawal from Iraq.

Jafari met with the Americans, as did interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.

In an indication of the lingering tensions that have hindered formation of a government, Allawi said Saturday that Shiite religious leaders should stay out of politics.

“Thrusting the religious establishment into daily political affairs could distance it from its guiding role and disrupt relations between the political forces, which could create an imbalance,” his National Accord party said in a letter to Shiite and Kurdish politicians.

“Everyone must agree on the role of the religious leadership in the interim period,” it said.

The implicit public criticism of Ayatollah Ali Sistani, Iraq’s most influential Shiite cleric, is almost unheard of in the country, and some observers said Allawi’s comments could deepen political divisions.

Sistani has never met Allawi, a secular Shiite. The cleric supported the United Iraqi Alliance in the election.

Sistani approved of Allawi when he was named interim prime minister in June, Shiite politicians say, but now endorses Jafari for prime minister.