Saudi monarch congratulates Talabani on forming government

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Saudi King Abdullah II congratulated President Jalal Talabani on the progress achieved in the political process and the start to form the Iraqi government, according to a presidential statement. “This came during a phone call made by Talabani to the monarch to assure on his health and to congratulate him on Eiduladha (Greater Bairam),” said the statement received by IraqiNews.com news agency. The Iraqi parliament, after eight months of continuous arguments and discussions that followed the nationwide elections on March 7, elected on 11/11/2010 a candidate of al-Iraqiya bloc, Osama al-Nejeifi as parliament speaker, the leader in the Sadrisit Movement, Qusay al-Suheil as his first deputy, and Member of the Kurdistan Alliance Aref Tayfur as his second Deputy. The parliament also elected President Jalal Talabani for a second term in office. Talabani later assigned Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to form the new government. SH (P) 1