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New Iraqi envoy: Political progress nearPoliticians putting 'final touches' on deal for prime minister
 Samir Sumaidaie says that, for a unity government to be formed, electoral results might not be strictly followed. SPECIAL REPORT
• Interactive: Who's who in Iraq
• Interactive: Sectarian divide
• Timeline: Bloodiest days for civilians
YOUR E-MAIL ALERTSNEW YORK (CNN) -- The impasse over who will lead Iraq's government may soon end under a compromise that would replace the interim prime minister with a member of his own party, Iraq's new ambassador to the United States said Sunday. "As we talk now, people I know are huddled together to put the final touches on a compromise that is emerging," Samir Sumaidaie told CNN's "Late Edition." Ibrahim al-Jaafari's candidacy has been opposed by a number of Kurdish, Sunni and even some Shiite leaders, though he himself is Shiite. "It's a compromise which will give the [United Iraqi Alliance] bloc, which has won the greatest number of seats in parliament, will keep with them the right to appoint or nominate the prime minister," Sumaidaie said in his first public comments since taking the job of ambassador to the United States. "I believe there is intensive consultation within that bloc to come up with a solution that will satisfy all the other blocs, as well as keep their unity together." Sumaidaie said he expected "within the next day or two some move in that direction." Though a number of possible replacements have been discussed, "leading amongst them is Ali al-Adib, who is from al-Jaafari's own party," Sumaidaie said. The ambassador said he knew little about the man other than, as a member of the Dawa Party that al-Jaafari belongs to, "he would stand for the same things that al-Jaafari stands for." Whoever is chosen would have to be acceptable to Kurds and Sunnis as well as Shiites, he said. But in Baghdad, there was no indication that the political crisis over who will be prime minister is near a resolution. Iraqi Parliament Speaker Adnan Pachachi announced Sunday that the meeting of the parliament scheduled to convene Monday would be postponed for a few days. The Shiite bloc -- made up of seven parties -- won the most seats in December's parliamentary election and has first choice in choosing a prime minister candidate. Negotiations since then have failed to produce a unity government. Any choice for prime minister must win approval from the parliament. The Shiite alliance had nominated al-Jaafari, with the support of influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, to retain the post of prime minister. But Kurdish and Sunni blocs have derided him as too weak and said they would not work with him to form a unity government. The Shiite alliance continued talks Sunday. As recently as Friday -- in an interview with CNN -- al-Jaafari showed no indication he was willing to step aside. "I don't bet my position on the acceptance of a certain list or on a certain personality," he said recently. "Instead, I depend on what the people chose, through the democratic political process." Pachachi told CNN that -- four months after elections were held -- it could take another month for a government to be formed. The uncertainty has left a vacuum that has been filled by violence. Two car bombs killed at least 12 Iraqis Sunday and gunmen attacked a minibus in the northern city of Baquba, killing five civilians. (Full story) 'Compromise' over election resultsIn an article in the Sunday editions of the Los Angeles Times, Pachachi proposed formation of an emergency government to resolve the crisis. "It would not be necessarily based on the results of the election, which we do not think reflected the voters' will anyway," the Sunni politician told the Times. Sumaidaie agreed that, for a unity government to be formed, electoral results might not be strictly followed. "I think what we'll have to arrive at is a compromise between the emergency requirements of the country and the electoral results," he said. "The electoral results could not be ignored totally. Otherwise, that will put our democratic experiment in jeopardy," he said. "But, at the same time, allowance has to be made to make sure that everybody is on board." U.S. and British government representatives have said they want the situation resolved soon. Asked whether such comments represent interference in Iraq's internal affairs, Sumaidaie said, "I don't believe it could be described as improper interference. The United States and Britain have invested a great deal in this project in Iraq. They have invested blood and treasure, and they have a right to have a say." Sunni leader Saleh al-Mutlaq said last week that the uncertainty must end soon. "The formation of the government should take place within the next few days; otherwise, Iraq will drown in a river of blood," he said. "People are being slaughtered on streets while politicians are busy looking for posts." Sumaidaie dismissed al-Mutlaq's concerns as an "over dramatic characterization" of the situation. "Iraq is bleeding as a country but we are bleeding mainly through the blows dealt by the terrorists, not through the people who are trying to solve the political process," he said. But al-Mutlaq is not alone in his point of view. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak told the Arabic-language TV network Al Arabiya on April 8 that "civil war has almost started" in Iraq. He added, "At the moment, Iraq is almost close to destruction." Sumaidaie said the country was simply undergoing a learning curve and was sanguine about Iraq's prospects. "We are learning how to accept each other, and give concessions," he said. "The process is now very serious and intensive, and I do believe it will produce results soon." Sumaidaie blasted Mubarak for comments the Egyptian leader made in that same interview, during which he said that most Shiites "are loyal to Iran and not to the countries they are living in." "This was a very unfortunate statement; Iraqis reject it totally," the ambassador said. "Iraqi Shiites are as patriotic as anybody else." CNN's Aneesh Raman contributed to this report. 
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