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Iraq's Ja'fari Optimistic After Sistani Meeting

20 February 2006 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Al-Ja'fari said today that efforts to form a new government were running into difficulties. But he said the difficulties would be overcome.

Ja'fari said after meeting Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani that the Shi'ite Alliance, which he represents, was elected by the people.

He said the formation of a new government faced "obstacles," but not insurmountable ones.

Ja'fari said he hoped the formation of the government would not take as long as it did last time, when forming the government took three month.

He hopes to have a national-unity government that groups his alliance, Kurdish parties, and two Sunni groupings that won a total of 55 seats in the 15 December elections.

(AP)

Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org