Iraq's new PM promises 'clean' technocrat Govt

Iraq's newly appointed premier began on Friday the process of building a Cabinet he said must include efficient technocrats and nationalists with a 'clean history'.

Iraq's newly appointed premier began on Friday the process of building a Cabinet he said must include efficient technocrats and nationalists with a 'clean history', as insurgents released another hostage.

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Despite the weeks of delay and bickering in nominating Ibrahim al-Jaafari, Washington expressed hope Iraq's political calendar providing for a permanent constitution and definitive elections by the end of 2005 would be respected.

Jaafari said on Thursday after his appointment by new President Jalal Talabani and his two deputies that he would work to form a government within two weeks, although he theoretically has a month to do so.

"The ministries need efficient technocrats, nationalists with a good and clean history and team players who are comfortable working within a diverse setting," Jaafari told reporters.

He promised "to fight corruption and institute administrative reforms" after several members of his United Iraqi Alliance (UIA), parliament's largest bloc, accused the outgoing government of Iyad Allawi of breaking the law and hiring senior members of the banned Baath party of ousted leader Saddam Hussein.

Jaafari refused to go into details over the government line-up but one of his senior aides Jawad al-Maliki said a quarter of the 30 or so cabinet posts will go to women.

Maliki said the UIA would have the important ministries of finance, interior and oil.