Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Iraq to unveil new govt Monday, oil minister stays
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Weekend Edition
Africa
Europe
Latin America
Middle East
North America
Iraq to unveil new govt Monday, oil minister stays
Reuters - Sunday, December 19
Send
IM Story
Print
By Suadad al-Salhy
BAGHDAD - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki will unveil his new cabinet on Monday, retaining the oil minister who forged ambitious plans to turn the war-ravaged country into a top global oil producer, senior officials said.
Iraqis have been waiting for a new government since a parliamentary election in March failed to produce a clear winner and displayed the depth of Iraq's ethnic and sectarian divisions. Months of political squabbling ensued.
Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani, a Shi'ite, will be a key member of the new cabinet as Iraq tries to rebuild damaged and neglected infrastructure more than seven years after a U.S.-led invasion ousted Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein and triggered sectarian warfare that killed tens of thousands.
Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari, a Kurd, will also stay in his post but a final decision on a new finance minister has not been made, said sources close to Maliki, a Shi'ite.
Parliament cleared one of the final hurdles to the government formation on Saturday by lifting a ban on three senior Sunni politicians who had been excluded for suspected links to the party of former dictator Saddam Hussein.
"Today's decision will help create a suitable atmosphere to form the government," said Sami al-Askari, a prominent member of Maliki's political bloc.
Shahristani's return is a sign to oil companies that Iraq will honour contracts to develop its vast oil reserves.
Under the direction of the former nuclear scientist, the oil ministry has set out ambitious targets to increase Iraq's production capacity to 12 million barrels per day over the next six or seven years, from 2.5 million today,
That level would rival global leader Saudi Arabia. Analysts say a goal of 6-7 million bpd is more realistic for Iraq, which garners 95 percent of federal revenues from oil.
"The minister of oil will stay in his place as the minister of oil," said Abdul-Hadi al-Hasani, an official with Maliki's coalition. Other senior sources confirmed he would stay minister rather than accept a post as deputy prime minister in charge of energy affairs which might be less influential.
BIG GOVERNMENT
Maliki intends to name a cabinet that is expected to include 42 posts, including three deputy prime ministers. The jobs are being divvied up among Shi'ite, Sunni and Kurdish factions according to the seats they won in the March election.
Two of the most prominent Kurds in the government's inner circle will be familiar faces: Zebari and Deputy Prime Minister Ross Nouri Shawis.
Still unsettled is the role of Iyad Allawi, the secularist Shi'ite former prime minister whose cross-sectarian Iraqiya bloc won 91 seats in parliament, more than any other grouping.
Under a power-sharing deal reached on November 10, he was expected to take the leadership of a national strategic policies council. But he has since wavered, and said on Friday he would only take part if he was given real power. Maliki has said the strategic policies council would be an advisory body.
Senior officials said Maliki's announcement on Monday would not include sensitive security posts, including the interior, defence and national security ministers. Nominees have not yet been decided due to a dearth of qualified, independent candidates, officials said.
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
Related Articles
ICC probe on claims Sudan president diverted billions AFP - 2 hours 43 minutes ago
Sudan leader diverted funds to Britain: WikiLeaks AFP - Sunday, December 19
Assange cites McCarthyism as BoA tightens WikiLeaks vice AFP - 24 minutes ago
Obama vows to pursue US missile defense plans AFP - 25 minutes ago
UK-World Summary Reuters - 31 minutes ago
News Search
Top Stories
Spanish unions protest retirement reform
Parents didn't want Sonia to wed Rajiv Gandhi: cables
Britain, France, Germany demand EU budget freeze
WikiLeaks chief Assange fears US charges
California approves first broad US climate plan
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Most Recommended
Parents didn't want Sonia to wed Rajiv Gandhi: cables
WikiLeaks chief Assange fears US charges
Madoff investor's estate forfeits 7.2 billion dollars
NASA tests aging shuttle after failed launch
US man is HIV-free after stem cell transplant
More Most Viewed »
NASA finds new form of life... on Earth
Defiant Obama defends tax cuts, eyes 2012
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Weekend Edition
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo!
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Entertainment
Photos
Yahoo! News Network
Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Sunday, 19 December 2010 Merkel meets troops in surprise Afghanistan visit
Iraq to unveil new govt Monday, oil minister stays
Parents didn't want Sonia to wed Rajiv Gandhi: cables
Foreign troop death toll in Afghanistan in 2010 nears 700
|
Iraq to unveil new government Monday
|
Iraq PM to unveil national unity cabinet
Fresh from India, Wen builds Pakistan trade ties
|
Iran's new foreign minister reaches out to Europe
Sudan dismisses allegation Bashir has billions abroad
Iran's new FM to bolster ties with Saudi, Turkey
Moscow police arrest 500 to prevent ethnic violence
|
Shahristani to stay as Iraq oil minister
French police break up international doping ring
|
NATO kills 20 insurgents in eastern Afghanistan
U.N. council meeting on Koreas likely Sunday
Nigeria militants claim attacks on oil facilities
|
Now for the win, says double centurion Kallis
Report: Gunmen attack Korean site in Afghanistan
Spain unions threaten strike over pension reform
|
SKorea to hold firing drills amid NKorea threat
Woman boards bus naked in Singapore
Fear continues to keep Indonesia's sexual minorities in the closet
US Congress backs lifting military gay ban
Iraqi cinema makes a comeback at Greek film festival
FEATURE: Indonesian LGBTs face discrimination in workplace
Park plans Wallace and Gromit theme park ride
Suicide attacks kill seven Afghan military personnel
Snow hits flights, strands drivers in Europe
South Korea not scrapping drill despite threat
|
Iraq to unveil new government Monday, oil minister stays
US Senate rejects bid to kill Russia nuclear treaty
Israeli air strike kills five Gaza militants
Foreign troop 2010 toll hits 700 in Afghanistan
|
Spanish unions protest retirement reform
Suicide bombers kill 5 in northern Afghanistan
Obama vows to pursue US missile defense plans
Israeli air strike kills five Gaza militants
|
Suicide bombers kill 4 in northern Afghanistan
Ivory Coast's Gbagbo tells U.N. to leave, Ban refuses
|
Moscow police arrest hundreds ahead of nationalist rallies
NATO kills 20 insurgents in eastern Afghanistan
Belarus votes, Lukashenko to extend 16-year rule
|
Ice set to bring more chaos to Britain
|
Sri Lanka lifts ban on U.N. war crime panel visit
|
Western Sahara foes still at odds but to speed up talks
|
Survivors pray for 30 lost in Australia refugee wreck
Australia level Ashes series
Indonesia to attack Philippines frontally
A kungfu master's living legacy
Irish family man feeling the pinch this Christmas
A softer 'don't-ask, don't-tell' policy in Indonesia?
US Senate passes bill to lift military gay ban
Quake jolts Indonesia
Garment scraps head for Western living rooms
Japanese feelings for China at record low: poll
Cambodia's land-grab 'cancer' keeps spreading
S.Korea unveils plan to levy foreign debt at banks
S.Korea Nov biz start-up/failure ratio at 18-mth low
37 dead in Bangladesh boat sinking: police
Japan's low-cost space programme pushes the limits
SKorea plans levy on foreign currency bank debt
Iran fuel prices rocket as subsidies cut
Tourist stabbed to death in Israel
|
Iran fuel prices soar as subsidies cut
Snow and ice ground flights in Europe
|
U.S. tourist stabbed to death in Israel
Iran ex-foreign minister says sacking 'un-Islamic'
China counters U.S. criticism of Pakistan
|
Fighting in Sudan's Darfur forces 12,000 to flee
Iraq's Allawi says will join Maliki government
|
Taliban kill 10 Afghan soldiers, police
Fighting in Sudan's Darfur forces 12,000 to flee
|
Taliban kill 10 Afghan soldiers in 2 attacks
Taiwan 'set to boost' Chinese tourists' quota
Israel deprives Palestinians in West Bank
|
Militants kill 10 Afghan soldiers in 2 attacks
Philippines in uproar over error-filled peso bills
China PM vows to boost ties with Pakistan
North Korea raises alert before U.N. meeting
China counters U.S. criticism of Pakistan as PM ends visit
Young Spaniards adrift with 40 pct jobless rate
After Australia tour, Winfrey vacations in Fiji
Life sentence finalised for Tokyo man over Briton's death
UN to meet on Koreas amid soaring tensions
SKorea announces levy on bank foreign borrowing
Fifteen dead in Philippines hotel fire: police
Man sentenced to death for killing five in China
SKorea plans levy on foreign currency bank debt
Firefox backs "Do Not Track" with online stealth
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights