Iraq’s security cabinet posts to be settled soonest, Legislature says:

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: A Legislature from Iraq’s National Alliance has said on Thursday that the security cabinet posts would be settled in the nearest possible time, adding that Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, “can’t continue the administration of the security ministries and his post as Prime Minister, at the same time.” “The settlement of the security ministries needs much time, and we must rush the selection of candidates for the ministers posts on the expense of the security situation,” Mohammed Saadoun al-Seyhoud told IraqiNews.com news agency, adding that the “security cabinet posts must be granted to neutral, professional and independent personalities, because the forthcoming phase is important and necessitates the strengthening of security and building security bodies.” Seyhoud said that “the non-security cabinet posts shall be settled within 3-4 days, and those posts have been divided according to the electorate rights and be distributed according to efficiency and professionalism.” The Iraqi Parliament had decided last Tuesday to grant confidence to Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki and members of his new cabinet, following a straneous conflict that continued for about 9 months, that followed March 7th nationwide parliamentary elections. Prime Minister Maliki had presented the candidates for his new cabinet to the Parliament last Tuesday, comprising 41 cabinet posts, whilst he kept the administration of the Interior, Defense and National Security posts temorparily for him, on “acting” basis, whilst he assigned several other posts on acting basis also, pending the naming of the original candiates. MB (A) / SKH 1