THE IRAQI PARLIAMENT POSTPONED ITS SUNDAY SESSION AFTER THE MAIN POLITICAL BLOCS FAILED TO AGREE ON CANDIDATES FOR KEY SECURITY POSTS, THE DEPUTY SPEAKER SAID. THE DECISION CAME DESPITE URGENT LAST-MINUTE EFFORTS BY PRIME MINISTER NOURI AL-MALIKI AND U.S. AMBASSADOR ZALMAY KHALILZAD TO REACH AGREEMENT FROM IRAQ'S FRACTIOUS ETHNIC AND SECTARIAN GROUPS ON WHO WILL HEAD THE DEFENSE AND INTERIOR MINISTRIES, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTED. TO BREAK THE DEADLOCK, AL-MALIKI HAD PROMISED TO PRESENT CANDIDATES SUNDAY AND LET PARLIAMENT DECIDE, BUT DEPUTY SPEAKER KHALID AL-ATIYA SAID LEGISLATORS NEEDED MORE TIME.
