BAGHDAD - Iraq’s Shia Alliance on Sunday appeared close to reaching a deal to replace Ibrahim Al Jaafari as its nominee for prime minister, which could break a deadlock on a new government, officials in the bloc said.The officials said they were close to an agreement to replace Jaafari with a member of his Dawa party. “We are close to an agreement on Jaafari. It involves replacing him with a Dawa leader,” one of the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity told Reuters. If the United Iraqi Alliance does replace Jaafari, it could break a four-month deadlock over a national unity government whose formation Iraqi politicians hope will avert a sectarian civil war.
But finding a new Alliance candidate threatens to break apart the bloc and no prime minister will have any magic solutions to IraqÂ’s Sunni Arab insurgency, sectarian bloodshed and a battered economy that has scared away foreign investors.
Acting parliament speaker Adnan Pachachi said IraqÂ’s political blocs hoped to reach a last-minute deal on Sunday to agree on top government positions before the assemblyÂ’s next session on Monday.
He said failure to do so could delay a new government for at least another month and force the parties to choose a parliament speaker, a presidential council and prime minister in stages. “The parliament will convene tomorrow morning and a deal is expected. If not the Shia Alliance will ask for some more time,” Pachachi told Reuters in an interview. “If we cannot reach a concrete package deal then a president will be nominated and more time will be given to the Shia Alliance to nominate a prime minister. We prefer one package. If they ask for more time, the parliament has a right to choose one position at a time.”