Iraqi negotiators say govt deal close

BAGHDAD – Iraqi leaders are close to a deal on a new national unity government but names for key posts were still being discussed yesterday in a coalition that can end months of political paralysis and tackle sectarian violence.

Thirteen people were killed in two attacks in Baghdad and officials were trying to secure the release of 15 members of the national tae kwondo martial arts squad, kidnapped as they drove through a rebellious desert region for training abroad. Rumours about who would get key posts swirled around the government negotiations among the various factions in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, ahead of a vote expected in parliament on Saturday to confirm Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s new team in office.”All options are open,” a top negotiator said.”It’s close but not final.We’ll probably finish tomorrow,” Shi’ite Alliance negotiator Bahaa al-Araji, from the Islamist faction following cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, told Reuters.After state television named two men for the posts of interior and defence minister, a source close to Maliki said Shi’ite former military officer Nasser al-Amery was indeed close to securing the Interior Ministry, as Iraqiya television said.However, opposition to Amery, a little known figure said to be close to the powerful Alliance party SCIRI which has run the interior ministry controversially for the past year, meant a compromise candidate might be needed, other negotiators said.Iraqiya named Baraa al-Rubaie, a Sunni Arab, as defence minister.But negotiators also cited two other main candidates, Thamer Sultan al-Tikriti and General Abdul Qader, commander of Iraq’s new, US-trained ground troops.The rest of the line-up was still under discussion, too.Complaints of Shi’ite domination of the Interior Ministry and police under the interim government had led to demands from minority Sunnis and the United States for non-partisan figures to run the ministry in the new, full-term administration.The United States, which has 133 000 troops in Iraq suffering daily casualties three years after Saddam’s overthrow, hopes a broad-based coalition will help end violence.The choice of interior minister has largely been left to Maliki’s dominant Shi’ite Alliance bloc.But it has agreed to appoint a figure acceptable to all parties.Under the deal, a Sunni is expected to head the Defence Ministry.Little is known about Amery, though negotiators said he has good relations with SCIRI.A political source said he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for opposing Saddam Hussein while in the army.He is believed to be in his mid-50s and hails from one of Iraq’s biggest and most influential tribes, the Albu Amer.Some political sources said they believed he was a relative of Hadi al-Amery, the leader of SCIRI’s armed wing, the Badr Organisation, one of the main pro-government militias which denies accusations from Sunnis that it runs death squads.It was not immediately possible to verify the relationship.Maliki, from SCIRI’s biggest partner in the Alliance, Dawa, has said he will bring militias under control.Under a constitutional deadline, he has until Monday to present his cabinet to parliament.The speaker said on Wednesday that parliament expected to vote on the government on Saturday.- Nampa-ReutersRumours about who would get key posts swirled around the government negotiations among the various factions in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, ahead of a vote expected in parliament on Saturday to confirm Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s new team in office.”All options are open,” a top negotiator said.”It’s close but not final.We’ll probably finish tomorrow,” Shi’ite Alliance negotiator Bahaa al-Araji, from the Islamist faction following cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, told Reuters.After state television named two men for the posts of interior and defence minister, a source close to Maliki said Shi’ite former military officer Nasser al-Amery was indeed close to securing the Interior Ministry, as Iraqiya television said.However, opposition to Amery, a little known figure said to be close to the powerful Alliance party SCIRI which has run the interior ministry controversially for the past year, meant a compromise candidate might be needed, other negotiators said.Iraqiya named Baraa al-Rubaie, a Sunni Arab, as defence minister.But negotiators also cited two other main candidates, Thamer Sultan al-Tikriti and General Abdul Qader, commander of Iraq’s new, US-trained ground troops.The rest of the line-up was still under discussion, too.Complaints of Shi’ite domination of the Interior Ministry and police under the interim government had led to demands from minority Sunnis and the United States for non-partisan figures to run the ministry in the new, full-term administration.The United States, which has 133 000 troops in Iraq suffering daily casualties three years after Saddam’s overthrow, hopes a broad-based coalition will help end violence.The choice of interior minister has largely been left to Maliki’s dominant Shi’ite Alliance bloc.But it has agreed to appoint a figure acceptable to all parties.Under the deal, a Sunni is expected to head the Defence Ministry.Little is known about Amery, though negotiators said he has good relations with SCIRI.A political source said he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for opposing Saddam Hussein while in the army.He is believed to be in his mid-50s and hails from one of Iraq’s biggest and most influential tribes, the Albu Amer.Some political sources said they believed he was a relative of Hadi al-Amery, the leader of SCIRI’s armed wing, the Badr Organisation, one of the main pro-government militias which denies accusations from Sunnis that it runs death squads.It was not immediately possible to verify the relationship.Maliki, from SCIRI’s biggest partner in the Alliance, Dawa, has said he will bring militias under control.Under a constitutional deadline, he has until Monday to present his cabinet to parliament.The speaker said on Wednesday that parliament expected to vote on the government on Saturday.- Nampa-Reuters