Many seats vacant in the Iraqi government

The Interim Iraqi parliament gave confidence at a great majority to al-Jaafari government. Some 180 out of 185 parliamentarians who attended the session voted for the government.

The list which was read by the speaker of the parliament Hajem Hosni included 36 ministerial posts, many of which remained vacant and unoccupied.

Al-Jaafari failed to nominate a minister of oil in the new government, the deputy premier Ahmad Chalabi was appointed as a minister in charge. However, Chalabi promised in a statement to work for guaranteeing a peaceful flow of oil exports and to carry out contracts finalized by the former Iraqi government.

Officials at the Western and Iraqi oil industries said that Chalabi might try to leave his own print on the oil sector which is abundant with reserves estimated at 115 billion barrels even if he occupied the post for a short period of time. Chalabi aides said he might occupy the post under the absence of an agreement to have a permanent representative for this post.