KOBISH: The new Iraqi government may be formed by Eid al-Adha. This is what we expect from Sistani

Wow......the formation of the new government could be by Eid al-Adha which this year is from 21st August 18 to 25 August 18.


Finger crossed but this is Iraq

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The head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Jan Kubis, said he hoped the next government would be formed by Eid al-Adha, which this year falls in late August.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Kubis noted that the upcoming government should meet the aspirations of Iraqis who, in recent demonstrations, had sent a “very strong message”, expressing their frustration with the incumbent political system and the sectarian quotas.

"The [Iraqi] people sent a very strong message about what they expect of the future government, what kind of future government id needed to cover their needs, to cover the need of the country for very very deep of economic and social reforms, to fight corruption, etc," he explained.

“There is an opportunity,” he said, when commenting on the possibility of the nation-wide prominent Shiite authority Ali al-Sistani instigating change among prominent political forces.

The UN official called on Baghdad powers to carry on with the policy of openness initiated by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi with neighboring countries, especially Saudi Arabia and Gulf states.

Kubis, whose term is nearing completion, said the partial recount of votes in some areas of Iraq after the May elections might be a blessing in disguise.

"It is good that the authorities decided to do a manual partial recount of ballots that were suspicious and the complaints under suspicion of fraud and it means that they bring more credibility to the process of the elections and hopefully to the results of the election," he stated.

Kubis stressed that he looked forward to the formation of the new government following the completion of the recount process and the ratification of the results.

"Then the political parties will go very quickly to the final stage of consultations on the formation of the government," he added, stressing that it must be "a government of pro-reform that respond to the expectations and needs of the people and have the political will to deliver."

Asked about Iran’s role in Iraq under the new sanctions imposed on the Persian state, he said: “This has to be decided by the Iraqi government of course.” However, he noted that the authorities "will comply with the regime of sanctions because they have no other choice."

In response to a question about the rapprochement initiated by the government of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi with neighboring countries, Kubis said: “ I expect that now the people of the country they see how important and how positive it is to be open to cooperation with all the countries of the region and all the international partners."

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