New Iraq cabinet 'nearly ready'

Nouri Maliki is promising a non-sectarian government

Iraq's Prime Minister-designate Nouri Maliki has said he has nearly completed the task of forming a new government of national unity.

Mr Maliki said that he hoped to form a new administration within two days.

He said nominations for the key posts in the cabinet have been submitted by Shia, Sunni and Kurdish groups.

They included the ministries of defence, interior, oil, finance and foreign affairs, but Mr Maliki did not reveal any names.

This is a government of all Iraqis and not of one sect Nouri Maliki

Under the constitution Mr Maliki has until 22 May to finish the task. His cabinet list has to go before the Iraqi parliament for approval.

Iraq's President Jalal Talabani has asked Mr Maliki, a member of one of the leading Shia political parties, to form the country's next government on 22 April.

The move followed months of political deadlock over Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari, who was strongly opposed by Kurdish and Sunni parties.

More bargaining to come

Mr Maliki said that a handful of cabinet posts, including oil, transport and trade ministries, were still the subject of what he called honourable competition between the various factions.

"I will meet some more candidates for other ministries in these two days and I have the confidence to solve the remaining issues and go to the parliament," Mr Maliki said.

"This is a government of all Iraqis and not of one sect."

BBC Baghdad correspondent Jim Muir says one of the main problems in putting a government together has been over who should be in charge of the two main security ministries - interior and defence.

Mr Maliki said all the factions had agreed that the ministries should be in the hands of independent figures, not tied to any of the big groups or militias.

Well-placed political sources told the BBC that although that principle has been agreed, the actual people who will fill the jobs have not.

So a good deal of bargaining still has to be done before the prime minister-designate will be ready to announce his cabinet, our correspondent says.