Al-Jaafari government and the vacant seats

In an attempt to maintain control on the deteriorated conditions in Iraq, representatives for the Shiite list will be meeting with the representatives of the Sunni Arabs in order to discuss filling the vacant ministerial posts especially the ministries of defense and oil.

News reports quoted several members of the Iraqi National Assembly as saying that there is a consensus on that Ibrahim Baher al-Oloum to assume the post of the minister of oil. Baher al-Oloum, the parliamentarian in the Shiite coalition list assumed the post of the minister of oil under the interim governing council in 2003 and 2004.