Al-Iraqiya Coalition has not settled issue of women candidates in remaining cabinet posts:

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: A spokesman for al-Iraqiya Coalition, led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, has said on Thursday that his Coalition had failed to settle the issue of women candidates for the remaining cabinet posts in the new Iraqi government till now. “Al-Iraqiya has not nominated any candidates for the security cabinet posts,” Shakir Kattab said, adding that his Coalition “had not settled the issue of women candidates for the remaining cabinet posts.” Noteworthy is that women Legislature, Aala Talabani, had reiterated, in a speech in the Iraqi Parliament on Tuesday, “the absence of any women candidates for the current cabinet, presented by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to the Parliament,” charging that “it represented a violation of the Constitution and demanding the leaders of the political blocs, the President and the Prime Minister, to settle the issue.” Prime Minister Maliki, on his part, had attributed the reason for non-existence of any women candidates by different political blocs in his new cabinet to what he termed as “non-nomination of any woman within the lists they presented to settle this issue.” Legislature Kattab also said that “the Prime Minister is serious to settle the issue of the remaining cabinet posts,” pointing out that next week would witness the filling of those posts.” Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had presented the names of his 41-seat new cabinet, keeping for himself the administration of the Interior, Defense and National Security minister’s posts, temporarily on “acting” basis, along with assigning the remaining posts on “acting” basis, pending the naming of the original ministers. MB (A) / SKH 2