New Iraqi Cabinet taking shape

BAGHDAD, May 21 (UPI) -- A lawmaker in the Shiite coalition of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Wednesday the Iraqi Parliament expected to vet candidates for Cabinet seats next week.

Hussein al-Sanied with the Shiite United Iraqi Coalition bloc, which includes Maliki's Islamic Dawa Party and the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, said members of the Sunni Iraqi Accordance Front settled on a list of names to be considered for the new Iraqi Cabinet, Voices of Iraq said Wednesday.

The Iraqi Accordance Front, the Iraqi National List of former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and the Sadrist Movement of Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr withdrew from the Maliki government in August.

Meanwhile, Sheik Humam Hamoudi, who heads the Iraqi parliamentary commission responsible for amendments to the Iraqi Constitution, said his committee is slated to finalize any outstanding issues by July.

The statement follows a meeting with Maliki, leading lawmakers and the top U.N. envoy to Iraq, Staffan de Mistura.

Hamoudi linked the constitutional provisions to the October provincial elections, noting "the serious efforts made by the Parliament and Cabinet to ensure the elections succeed according to international standards."

In other news, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said he expected Iraqi national forces to take control of security operations in the country by the end of 2009.

"Iraqi forces have been progressing and enhancing their combat capabilities to take control of security of all Iraqi territories," he said, adding, "Next year will witness a remarkable improvement in security across the country."