Iraqi cabinet starts work on "enormous" challenges

Iraq's new cabinet held its first meeting on Wednesday faced with "enormous" challenges to improve security, public services and ties with other countries, following months of political deadlock.

"We must have a clear policy in the sectors of security, finance, oil, electricity and on improving our foreign relations," Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told ministers in a speech broadcast on television.

"The challenges facing us are enormous."

Maliki said "his three top priorities are security, public services, especially electricity, and relations with neighboring countries," aide Ali Moussawi told AFP earlier.

On Tuesday, parliament gave its approval to Maliki, three deputy prime ministers and 31 other cabinet ministers from among Iraq's fractious political blocs, as well as a government program, and approved interim ministers for the remaining 10 cabinet posts.

A power-sharing deal on Nov 10. between Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish blocs put Maliki on track for a second term as prime minister. The pact returned Kurd Jalal Talabani as president and made Nujaifi, a Sunni, parliament's speaker.

U.S. Ambassador James Jeffrey said such a partnership government is needed to address issues Iraq faces, including increasing oil production, addressing the "root causes of violence, insurgency and terrorism" and continuing reconciliation.

"To do any and all of these things, you need a government that pulls in the various actors in this country," Jeffrey told reporters. "I think that an inclusive government is the way to go."

We must have a clear policy in the sectors of security, finance, oil, electricity and on improving our foreign relations

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki

Ethnic divisions

Highlighting the ethnic and sectarian divides that pervade the war-ravaged country, parliament had to postpone the vote on Monday after last-minute factional disputes and political horse-trading over posts delayed the government's formation.

Of the 35 cabinet posts distributed, Maliki's Shiite National Alliance bloc holds 19, the secular Iraqiya nine, the Kurdish Alliance four and other smaller parties three.

It is so far is made up of 20 Shiites, 10 Sunnis, four Kurds and one Christian, according to an AFP count.

But the ministries responsible for two of Maliki's priorities -- security and electricity -- still have only acting heads.

Maliki has assumed interim control of the defense, interior and national security ministries. These posts will be responsible for assuring security after the planned pullout by end 2011 of the roughly 50,000 U.S. troops left in Iraq.

Maliki, who does not want to extend the U.S. troop presence, can boast of a significant reduction in violence since he took power in 2006, but about 3,500 people have still been killed this year.

Al-Qaeda in Iraq has been dealt significant blows.

But its operatives retain the capacity to carry out high-profile operations like the October 31 seizure of a Baghdad cathedral that cost the lives of 44 worshippers, two priests and seven security force personnel.

Seven years after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, public services, especially electricity, remain in a deplorable state.

Draconian power rationing remains routine and sparked deadly protests during the summer as temperatures topped 50 degrees Celsius (120 Fahrenheit) across central and southern Iraq, leaving those unable to afford private generators unable to air-condition homes or refrigerate food.

Those protests sparked the resignation of the then electricity minister.

Deputy Prime Minister Hussein Shahristani, who as oil minister took interim charge of the electricity post, is to stay on as an acting minister until a permanent appointment has been made.

Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, a former Kurdish rebel who has been a permanent fixture in every government since the invasion, will take charge of Maliki's third priority of improving relations with neighboring countries.

Relations with Syria have improved since a crisis during several months last year, when Baghdad, backed by the United States, accused Damascus of harboring "terrorists."

But relations remain rocky with regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia.

And a number of issues remain between Baghdad and Kuwait, which Iraq invaded in 1990 only to be driven out by an international coalition seven months later.

Judging by Iraqi press reaction to the new line-up, any honeymoon period for Maliki to make progress in improving security and services is likely to be short-lived.

"What's important is not how many people are on the boat but how well the captain steers it across stormy seas," said an editorial in independent daily Al-Mashraq.