Iraqi political leaders have reached the framework of an agreement for a new government that would end the country’s eight month-long political deadlock, a senior Iraqi official said late on Wednesday.
“It looks a lot like the old government,” the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Monitor.
Under the agreement hammered out Wednesday evening, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki would retain his post, Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani would remain president, and the position of speaker would go to a Sunni. Osama al-Nujaifi, a member of the Iraqiya bloc headed by former prime minister Ayad Allawi was a leading candidate for the position.
Mr. Allawi himself, who has insisted that he head the new government, was expected to decide on Thursday whether to accept a position as head of a new strategic security council that would play a key role in decisionmaking.
Full story: Iraqi official: leaders have framework to form new government