BAGHDAD, 16 March 2005 — Iraqi politicians struggled yesterday to reach a consensus on a national unity government, with less than 24 hours to go before the historic first session of the newly elected Parliament.
An Iraqi general was shot dead by US troops at a checkpoint west of Ramadi, while a US soldier was killed in a double car bombing in Baghdad that also claimed the life of an Iraqi civilian and wounded 12 others, including six US soldiers.
In Rome, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi announced his country would begin withdrawing its 3,000 troops from Iraq in September.
The eleventh-hour political talks in Iraq, a month-and-a-half after the country’s watershed election, aimed to break a stalemate between the Shiites’ United Iraqi Alliance (UIA) and Kurds who emerged the victors of the polls.
“We are holding extensive talks today with the Kurds and the Sunnis, and if we agree, the assembly will vote on the presidential council and the speaker tomorrow,” said Shiite politician Jawad Maliky. But the Kurdish side, in the role of political kingmaker with 77 seats, the second largest share in the new Parliament, downplayed the chances for a breakthrough in time for the inauguration of the Parliament.
“It seems it may take more time to agree on a package on the formation of the government. I personally don’t think by tomorrow we’ll be able to finalize that deal,” outgoing Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said.
“The session would be the formal ceremonial opening of the new Parliament ... and the discussions would continue ... beyond tomorrow.”
Multiple negotiations were under way between the UIA and Kurds and a closed-door session was on between the Kurds and outgoing Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.
