Iraq's assembly speaker confirms parliament meeting on March 16

BAGHDAD - The speaker of Iraq's interim national assembly confirmed on Thursday that the country's newly elected parliament would convene next Wednesday as previously announced by other officials.
The date was confirmed in a statement by interim speaker Fuad Masum.
The election-winning Shiite and Kurdish blocs, who are currently locked in negotiations on forming a coalition government, had previously said that parliament would be called on March 16.
The first order for the 275-seat body would be to vote on a new speaker and to elect a presidential council, made up of a president and two deputies, which in turn would choose a prime minister to form a new cabinet.

03/10/2005 11:33 GMT