BAGHDAD, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi said Saturday that the anticipated extraordinary session to vote on the lineup of the cabinet of Prime Minister-designate Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi has not been decided yet.
"The date of the extraordinary session cannot be determined," al-Halbousi said, adding "until now, the ministerial program and the names of ... the cabinet have not reached the parliament."
Al-Halbousi's statement contradicted the statement made on Friday by Deputy Speaker Hassan al-Kaabi, in which he said that the parliament is obligated to hold an extraordinary session next Monday to give confidence to the new government.
The contradiction of the two came amid a heated political struggle among the Iraqi political blocs over the future of their interests in the expected Allawi government.
On Feb. 19, Allawi called on the parliament to hold an extraordinary session to vote on his cabinet's lineup next Monday, promising that the next government will be independent and will include no candidate from any political party.
