Sepcial Report: Tension accelerates in Iraq

   BAGHDAD, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Nurial-Maliki submitted on Saturday his new cabinet list to the country's 275-seat parliament for approval.

   Al-Maliki began reading out each of his cabinet ministers to special parliamentary session for approval.

   Saturday's session opened after more than two hours delay as political parties were still at odds over two key cabinet posts of interior and defense.

   Al-Maliki announced that he would head temporarily the interior ministry while incoming deputy premier Salam al-Zaubai, a Sunni will run the defense ministry for a week.

   Political parties will continue negotiations for permanent posts of the two portfolios, said the prime minister-designate.  

    The announcement of the new cabinet line-up came after five months of bargainings among political parties in Iraq after the country's election in December 2005.

   It will be the first full-term national unity government after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 ousted former president Saddam Hussein.