Ja'fari: Government Formation is a Significant National Achievement

In his first declaration after stepping aside as nominee for the new premiership, outgoing prime minister Ibrahim al-Ja'fari said Iraqi political slates overcame a huge obstacle hindering the government's formation when they successfully named the president (Jalal Talabani) and parliamentary speaker (Mahmood al-Mashhadani.) He called on the political blocs to continue working, saying any gap in the political process would paralyze (Iraq politically) and prevent it from moving forward again. Ja'fari urged the blocs to rid themselves of sectarianism.