14 March 2005 -- Kurdish and Shi'ite leaders are meeting today in Baghdad to continue talks on forming a coalition government.
The talks follow parliamentary elections on 30 January that gave the Shi'ite alliance a majority of seats in parliament but not the two-thirds majority needed to form a government.
An alliance of Kurdish parties placed second.
Reports say talks are difficult and have been bogged down by the status of the ethnically divided city of Kirkuk.
Ali al-Dabagh, a spokesman for the Shi'ite alliance, said he is optimistic a final deal can be reached before parliament meets on 16 March.
(AP/AFP)
For the latest news and analysis on Iraq, see RFE/RL's webpage on "The New Iraq".
An alliance of Kurdish parties placed second.
Reports say talks are difficult and have been bogged down by the status of the ethnically divided city of Kirkuk.
Ali al-Dabagh, a spokesman for the Shi'ite alliance, said he is optimistic a final deal can be reached before parliament meets on 16 March.
(AP/AFP)
For the latest news and analysis on Iraq, see RFE/RL's webpage on "The New Iraq".