Sepcial Report: Tension accelerates in Iraq

Related: Iraqi PM submits govt to parliament for approval
          Iraqi lawmakers meet to approve new cabinet

   BAGHDAD, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi parliament approved the new cabinet line-up submitted by incoming Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki at a special session held in Baghdad on Saturday.  

    The lawmakers raised their hands to give approval when parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani read out the new ministers' names one by one.

    The 37-ministerial cabinet line-up was finally approved by the parliament while three key posts-- interior, defense and national security affairs, remained unfilled.

    Al-Maliki, a Shiite, will be the acting interior minister temporarily while Salam al-Zigum Al-Zoubaie, new Sunni deputy prime minister, and Barham Salih, Kurdish deputy prime minister,were assigned the acting defense minister and the acting minister for the national security affairs respectively.

    In his first speech as prime minister, al-Maliki outlined his governing program, including the formation of the national unity government with representatives of all Iraqi sects according to the December election results and national interests.  

    He also pledged to open a national dialogue and widen political participation within the framework of the constitution in a bid to build a free and democratic Iraq.

    On the economic front, al-Maliki promised to draw a comprehensive plan for Iraq's reconstruction and development which is to pay special attention to underdeveloped areas and electricity supplies.

    The plan will also encourage investment and help attract national and international capital into the country's development and reconstruction.

    The new prime minister also vowed to regulate the key oil and gas industries by new legislation.

    In addition, al-Maliki said that he would resort to a regional referendum to determine whether the key oil-rich northern city of Kirkuk should go to the Kurdish regional government or remain under control of the central government.

    Meanwhile, he said that he would set "an objective timetable to let Iraqi forces take the full security responsibilities to end the mission of the U.S.-led multinational forces."

    The new cabinet came into being after almost five months of bargaining among Iraqi Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish leaders after the country's election in December 2005.

    It is the first full-term government in Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 ousted former president Saddam Hussein. Enditem

List of Iraq's 37-member cabinet

    BAGHDAD, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi parliament gave a greenlight to the new cabinet headed by Shiite leader Nuri al-Maliki on Saturday.

    It is the first full-term Iraqi government since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 toppled the Saddam Hussein regime.

    The following is the list of the 37-member cabinet, in which key portfolios of interior, defense and national security affairs are temporarily headed by acting ministers.

   Prime Minister: Nuri al-Maliki (Shiite)
   Deputy Prime Minister: Barham Salih (Kurd)
   Deputy Prime Minister: Salam Zigum Ali al-Zoubaie (Sunni)
   Oil Minister: Hussein al-Shahristani (Shiite)
   Finance Minister: Bayan Jabr Solagh (Shiite)
   Trade Minister: Abdul Falah al-Sudani (Shiite)
   Foreign Minister: Hoshyar Zebari (Kurd)
   Justice Minister: Hashim al-Shebli (Sunni)
   Electricity Minister: Karim Waheed (Shiite)
   Industry Minister: Fawzi al-Hariri (Kurd)
   Water Resources Minister: Latif Rashid (Kurd)
   Housing and Construction Minister: Bayan Dazae (Kurd)
   Agriculture Minister: Yaarub Nazim (Shiite)
   Education Minister: Khudhayer al-Khuzaie (Shiite)
   Higher Education Minister: Abed Theyab al-Ajili (Sunni)
   Health Minister: Ali al-Shemari (Shiite)
   Transport Minister: Karim Mahdi (Shiite)
   Migration Minister: Abdul-Samad Rahman (Shiite)
   Science and Technology Minister: Raed Fahmi (Sunni)
   Human Rights Minister: Wijdan Mikaeil (female, Christian)
   Youth and Sports Minister: Jassim Mohammed Jaafar (Shiite)
   Planning and Development Cooperation Minister: Ali Baban (Sunni)
   Communications Minister: Mohammed Twafiq (Shiite)
   Labor and Social Affairs Minister: Mahmoud Mohammed al-Radhi (Shiite)
   Municipalities and Public Works Minister: Riyad Gharib (Shiite)
   Environment Minister: Narmin Othman (Kurd)
   Culture Minister: Assad Kamal Mohammed (Kurd)
   Minister of National Dialogue: Akram al-Hakim (Shiite)
   Minister of State for Civil Society Affairs: Adel al-Assadi (Shiite)
   Minister of State for House of Representatives Affairs: Safaa al-Safi (Shiite)  
   Minister of State for Tourism and Archaeology Affairs: Liwaa Semeism (Shiite)  
   Minister of State for Woman Affairs: Fatin Abdel-Rahman (female,Sunni)
   Minister of State for Provincial Affairs: Saad Tahir Abid (Sunni)  
   Minister of State for Foreign Affairs: Rafie al-Esawi (Sunni)

   Minister of State: Mohammed Abbas Auraibi (Shiite)
   Minister of State: Ali Mohammed Ahmed (Kurd)
   Minister of State: Hassan Rhadi Khazim (Shiite)  

   Interior Minister (Acting): Nuri al-Maliki (Shiite)
   Defense Minister (Acting): Salam Zigum Ali al-Zoubaie (Sunni)
   Minister of State for National Security (Acting): Barham Saleh (Kurd)  Enditem