Iraq parly session ends chaotic

2005-03-29 19:47

Baghdad - The new Iraqi parliament's second session ended in chaos on Tuesday as deputies failed to select a new speaker and jeered at one another, prompting warnings that the body is risking its credibility.

With the government in limbo two months after the January 30 election, insurgents caused further mayhem, exploding a car bomb in the ethnically divided city of Kirkuk, killing one person and wounding 17.

The parliamentary session had been due to start at 11:00 but was held up for almost three hours as the winning Shiite and Kurdish blocs waited for the Sunni minority to decide on a candidate for speaker.

Within minutes, acting speaker Sheikh Dhari al-Fayad stunned the audience of political veterans, asking the 275-member assembly to adjourn because of the quarrel over the choice of his successor, a largely symbolic post.

"The principal lists are asking to delay the vote for another time so the Sunnis can finish talks among themselves to choose a nominee," he said.

Veiled rebuke

A raucous atmosphere ensued as the 87-year-old acting speaker ejected the press from the session and MPs started ranting over the impasse.

"We must open up this process to the Iraqi people," an angry, veiled woman shouted.

A member of outgoing prime minister Iyad Allawi's list delivered a veiled rebuke to the Sunnis.

"The winning lists are not the ones delaying the session," said cleric Sayed Hussein al-Sadr.

A deputy from Basra, Mansur al-Tamimi, lashed out at British troops for blasting into his home in the southern city overnight and arresting 12 members of his family, who were later released.

Allawi, who had been negotiating to join the government, left the meeting, but his office denied he was angry, claiming he had an appointment.

Fayad said he hoped the impasse would be solved by Sunday, and his son and secretary later confirmed the parliament would meet that day.

- AFP