Iraqi Pols Reach Tentative Agreement

The next Iraqi government is beginning to take shape.

One day before the first meeting of Iraq’s transitional National Assembly, representatives of major parties reached an agreement “in principle” on formation of a new government, officials said Tuesday.

The agreement between Kurdish leaders and members of the United Iraqi Alliance includes the appointment of Jalal Talabani as president — the first time a Kurd would hold such the post — and of Ibrahim al-Jaafari as prime minister, according to Dawa party official Adnan Ali al-Kadhimi.

Negotiations continued into Tuesday night, and most party representatives are expected to sign the document Wednesday as the assembly holds its historic meeting Wednesday at 11 a.m. (3 a.m. ET).

In the January 30 election, the United Iraqi Alliance won 140 seats in the 275-member temporary legislative body, and the Kurds gained 75 seats. Despite its lead in assembly seats, the alliance needs partners because a two-thirds majority is required to form a government.

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad sent out a warning Tuesday alerting Americans in the capital to take extra care ahead of the meeting.

Iraq is already operating under a state of emergency, which was extended by acting Prime Minister Ayad Allawi on March 3. The order restricts travel across borders and gives Allawi broad powers to detain suspected insurgents.

As I blogged before, a deal between the Shiite alliance and the Kurds would possibly hinge on the Kurds getting the presidency. That looks to be the case.

If this potential agreement comes to bear fruit, there will be two important questions as the assembly meets. First, will there be a role for interim prime minister Ayad Allawi in the government being shaped? Second, will the assembly be able to successfully conduct its business in safety? Damn, it’s got to be a juicy target.