As Iraqi politicians started weighing the possibility of forming a national unity government after Sunday's elections, Interim President Ghazi al-Yawar said on Tuesday a Shiite Muslim is very likely to lead the transitional government.

The current interim Iraqi administration has Sunni Muslim president Yawar, Shiite Muslim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, and Shiite and Kurdish vice presidents, Ibrahim Jaafari and Rowsch Shaways.

Yawar told a news conference that he believed the ethnic makeup of the new government would "remain the same," but said he was opposed to any permanent division of top posts between rival ethnic groups.

Vice President Jaafari has also suggested top posts in the new administration could be shared among ethnic groups, indicating that the next prime minister would most likely be a Shiite, the president a Sunni and the speaker of the parliament a Kurd.

Though final results of Sunday's elections were expected in 10 days, Iraq's political forces have already begun mulling the possible power sharing of the new administration.

Initial vote counting revealed the Shiite electoral list might get the lion's share in the 275-seat National Assembly, followed by the list of Kurdish parties and then the list of Allawi.

However, no single list could succeed in securing a majority to be able to form a government alone.

Hussein al-Shahristani, a nuclear scientist and a top figure in the Shiite list, said efforts were under way to hold a national conference. Echoing the view, Allawi said he would work in the remaining time of his term for national reconciliation.

Yawar also indicated Tuesday that a dialogue is ongoing to prepare for national reconciliation after the elections.

Meaningful hints also came from the Sunnis who said they would participate in the writing of a permanent constitution, which is apriority task for the National Assembly.

Chief of the Islamic Party, Muhsen Abdul Hamid, said he would like to take part in the preparations for a new government, and the Muslim Scholars Association also indicated a similar attitude in a declaration.

If these efforts succeed, Iraq will enter a period of coordination between different groups for the political process. The permanent constitution will be tested by a referendum and general elections for a permanent parliament will be held by the end of 2005.

Shiites expect the nomination of Adil Abdul Mehdi, current finance minister, for the post of president, while other sources said Shiite parties might agree to keep Allawi, a Shiite secular, in his post on the grounds that he is more experienced.

The National Assembly will choose a president and two deputy presidents, who will name a prime minister and members of a ministerial council.

With preparations for a new government under way, Iraq on Tuesday reopened its borders and Baghdad international airport as life in the capital returned to a "normal" level of tension after Sunday's bomb-ravaged elections.

Iraq's borders with neighboring countries and the international airport in Baghdad had been closed for three days as part of a large-scale security operation against insurgent attacks for Sunday's elections.

Authorities said the nationwide curfew had been shortened after the polls. Cars and trucks began to return to the main roads in the capital as travel restrictions within the country were eased.

However, Iraqi police and US forces have maintained high alert, as threats of new attacks are still there and al-Qaida ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's group has vowed to continue its holy war in an Internet statement.