Libyan national congress delays vote

TRIPOLI - Libya's national congress on Tuesday delayed the vote on the cabinet line-up submitted by Prime Minister Ali Zaidan after some protesters stormed the legislature, according to the state TV.

Angry people stormed the headquarters of the national congress in protest against some of the nominated ministers, leading to the suspension of the voting process, live broadcast of the state TV showed.

Mohammed Maqrif, president of the national congress, irritated by the scene, said "it is shameful that the rule of the state is insulted in this way." He indicated that the voting session may be postponed till Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Zaidan presented to the congress the cabinet line-up consisting of 27 members.

Abdulsalam Abdullah, a congress member, told Xinhua by phone that a large number of his fellows have expressed reservations about four candidates in the list, while adding that it is not clear whether their reservations will affect the passage of the list.

Announcing the cabinet line-up, Zaidan stressed that his government will be a coalition that includes the two biggest political parties in Libya, namely the National Forces Alliance, led by Mahmoud Jibril, and the Justice and Construction Party, launched by Libya's Muslim Brotherhood.

Zaidan named three deputy prime ministers and nominated Ali Suleiman Aujali, Libya's ambassador to the United States, as new foreign minister.

Ashur Shuwail was appointed interior minister and Mohammed al- Barghathi defense minister.

Zaidan, a former diplomat, was elected in mid-October Libya's prime minister after a vote in the national congress and was tasked with naming the members of his cabinet in 15 days from the announcement of the vote result.

Earlier this month, the congress dismissed for the second time the cabinet line-up submitted by ex-Prime Minister Mustafa Abushagur.

The congress voted 125 versus 44 in favor of removing Abushagur as prime minister, with 17 abstentions.