Disputes delay unveiling of new Iraq cabinet

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki will not announce Iraq's new government as expected on Monday, a spokesperson for the parliamentary speaker said.                                          

The delay resulted from continuing disputes over the distribution of ministries, lawmakers said.                                           

Maliki had been expected to announce his cabinet choices before a session of parliament on Monday, ending a more than nine-month wait for a new government after a March election that failed to produce a clear winner.                                           

"The work schedule of today's session does not include any... announcement of the cabinet," said Omar al-Mashhadani, media secretary for speaker Osama al-Nujaifi.

Ahmed al-Oraibi, a lawmaker for the Sunni-backed Iraqiya political coalition, said political leaders were expected to sort out the lingering disputes later on Monday, but other officials said resolving the problem could take longer.                                           

"The cause of the delay is internal disputes within the Iraqiya bloc and within the (Maliki's) National Alliance over the distribution of posts," Oraibi said.