Quote:

---

Ayad Allawi, the former prime minister and leader of the winning coalition in the Iraqi national election, said he's open to direct talks with all parties across the political spectrum in his efforts to swiftly forge a new Iraqi government.

"We hope that we will complete this achievement by forming a government as soon as possible, a government that is capable of providing security and stability and capable of providing services to our people," Allawi told reporters Saturday.

Allawi's Iraqiya bloc won 91 seats in the 325-member Council of Representatives in the March 7 elections, edging ahead of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's State of Law coalition, which received 89, the officials said. The Iraqi National Alliance, dominated by Shiite parties, got 70 seats and a Kurdish alliance got 43.

Al-Maliki and other candidates are displeased with the results. But while the current prime minister is talking about appealing the results of the election and asked for a manual recount, Allawi said he is open to discussions with al-Maliki and the other parties.

The constitution mandates that the biggest winning bloc be chosen to form the government. Allawi needs at least 163 seats in the parliament to forge a coalition government. The country's prime minister in 2004, Allawi is a secular Shiite whose bloc includes prominent Sunni Arab politicians, including Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi.

"There were talks with different political parties, with no exceptions, before the announcement of the results. Now, God willing, direct negotiations will start to establish the next government," Allawi said.

The electoral process has garnered praise in Iraq and across the world. Ad Melkert, special representative of the United Nations secretary-general in Iraq, called the vote a "historic achievement" and addressed the issue of poll irregularities in a statement Friday.

---