Iraqi leaders reached a tentative agreement late Wednesday to form a unity government, ending an eight-month political deadline and confirming Nuri Kamal al-Maliki as the Premier for a second term. The composition of the new government is yet to be decided.
The agreement ensured the participation of Sunnis, who supported ex-Premier Eyad Allawi. The deal was reached after Allawi's "Iraqia" list agreed to join the new government, said Jaber al-Jaberi, one of Allawi's chief allies.
In return, Iraqia was given the position of speaker of the Parliament as well as leadership of a newly created committee overseeing national security, officials from three factions said, according to the NYT. Under the new pact, the county's current president, Jalal Talabani, a Kurdish leader, would remain as president.
The Obama administration was quick to welcome the new development.
,
