国际英语新闻：Maliki to form cabinet by mid December

BAGHDAD, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Nuri al-Maliki said Saturday that he expects the negotiations to form his government would end by mid December.

"I will not let time go until the period (30 days) ends, because I have a time ceiling that doesn't exceed between the 10th and the 15th of next month," Maliki told a news conference in Baghdad.

Maliki expressed his hope that the political blocs would soon present their candidates to the ministerial portfolios to avoid any further delay of the government formation that might bring country chaos and more political crises.

"The fears of delaying the formation of the government is legitimate because if the government will not be formed within its time, then God only knows what will happen and to which direction we will go," Maliki said.

Maliki said that the political blocs should nominate three candidates to every ministry they want, and those candidates must be qualified to be accepted by Maliki himself as he is the head of the cabinet. He stressed that the security ministries will go to independent candidates who should be accepted by all the political blocs.

Moreover, Maliki pledged to improve Iraq's relations with Arab and Islamic countries and underlined the necessity to retain natural relations with other world countries.

Maliki stressed Iraq do not need the presence of foreign troops as its security forces are capable of guarding the security, saying "the security agreement (with Washington) and its dates and commitments will remain valid, and I don't see that there is a need to the presence of any international forces to help Iraqis in security missions."

According to the security agreement signed in late 2008 between Baghdad and Washington, the U.S. forces are to leave Iraq by the end of 2011. The United States currently has less than 50,000 troops in the country, mainly for training and counter-terrorism missions.

On Nov. 25, Iraq's re-elected President Jalal Talabani officially named Maliki as prime minister-designate who, since then, will have 30 days to form his cabinet.

As stipulated by the Iraqi constitution, If Maliki fails to pick a cabinet within the required time of 30 days, the president will has 15 days to nominate someone else to form a government.

The prime minister-designate government and its programs will also have to win the approval of an absolute majority in the Council of Representatives.