Iraq president decision on hold

A Governing Council meeting to select a new Iraqi president has been postponed for 24 hours, wrecking hopes of announcing a new government by the end of this month.

Three officials, including council member Mahmoud Othman, reported the postponement without giving a reason.

However, the delay in choosing a president suggests differences between the Iraqi council and the US-run coalition over who should get the job.

Ahmad Fawzi, spokesman for UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, warned against assuming that the delay meant the process was in jeopardy.

“It is a process that is evolving hour by hour. It is a very delicate process and a delicate balance.”

A majority of the Iraqi council reportedly favours the current head, civil engineer Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer, while the Americans back an 81-year-old former foreign minister, Adnan Pachachi.