WASHINGTON — Envoys from the United Nations and the United States this week will launch a final push to form a new Iraqi government. Secret discussions at the United Nations last week were held to expedite filling four leadership jobs and 25 cabinet posts, according to U.S. officials.
Favorite candidates for the top four jobs have emerged, with particular focus on two emerging Shiite politicians for prime minister and veteran Sunni politician Adnan Pachachi as possible president, U.S. and coalition officials say.
With only two months left before the hand-over of power on June 30, the U.S.-led coalition is cautiously optimistic that a new government can be named within 10 days.
"When (U.N. special envoy Lakhdar) Brahimi goes in, he’s almost ready to start naming names. He’s ready to start pulling things together. He’s into the endgame. He’s created a structure," said a State Department official familiar with the Iraq talks. "We could go from political anarchy to the endgame in a few days."
U.S. and U.N. officials also warn that identifying new leaders and balancing disparate ethnic and religious communities — plus coping with the anticipated backlash from excluded parties, including key members of the Iraqi Governing Council — could eat up the entire month. Iraq’s volatility could also complicate or defer consultations.
"Brahimi wants to finish it on this trip, if he can. But there may be other complications, like Fallujah on his last trip," said Ahmed Fawzi, Brahimi’s spokesman.
But much of the political legwork has quietly been done over the past two weeks in Baghdad and Washington, as well as the United Nations. Names of candidates for the four senior positions have already begun to circulate in Washington and New York, despite categorical denials from the United Nations and the Bush administration that final decisions have been made.
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