BRINGING THE SUNNI ALONG:

Iraqi Lawmakers Elect Sunni Arab as New Parliament Speaker, Ending Days of Deadlock (ANTONIO CASTANEDA, April 3, 2005, Associated Press)

Iraqi lawmakers elected a Sunni Arab as parliament speaker and Shiite and Kurdish leaders as his deputies on Sunday, ending days of deadlock as they sought to balance the country's predominant religious and ethnic groups in a new government.

The decision was a step toward repairing the tattered image of the newly elected National Assembly, which had bickered for days over the post.

Industry Minister Hajim al-Hassani was elected parliament speaker; elected as his deputies were Hussain al-Shahristani — a Shiite and former nuclear scientist — and the Kurdish leader Aref Taifour. [...]

Lawmakers also hoped to name a new president later Sunday — likely Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani.

Once in his post, Talabani and his two vice presidents have two weeks to name the new interim prime minister, expected to be Shiite politician Ibrahim al-Jaafari. After that, the legislative body has until mid-August to write a new constitution that will pave the way for new elections and a permanent government.