New Iraqi Government Should Be Formed Without Foreign Influence - Parliament Chair

CAIRO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th September, 2018) The new Iraqi cabinet should be formed without any influence from abroad, the newly elected Iraqi parliament speaker, Mohammed Halbusi, said in a telephone conversation with US State Secretary Mike Pompeo, the parliamentary press service said in a statement.

The two politicians held their phone talks late on Wednesday. During the conversation, Pompeo said Washington was looking forward to working with Halbusi.

"The decision about forming the future government of the country should be Iraq's internal affair, far from external influence," Halbusi said during the talks, as quoted in the statement.

The parliament speaker noted Washington's support to Baghdad in Iraq's liberation from the Islamic State terror group (IS, banned in Russia).

Halbusi also emphasized the importance of maintaining efforts of the international community in creating the conditions for the return of Iraqi refugees to the middle Eastern country's areas liberated from terrorists.

In May, Iraq held its first parliamentary elections in years following the declaration of victory over the IS by Baghdad in December.

However, the vote to elect the parliament speaker was repeatedly postponed due to lawmakers' disagreements about the candidacies and the decision of several parliamentarians to boycott the election.

Halbusi was elected the speaker of the new parliament on Saturday.

Under the Iraqi law, the parliamentary group including the largest number of lawmakers is tasked with forming the new government.