BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Shi’ite Prime Minister Nuri  al-Maliki held a wide lead yesterday in early results from  Baghdad, the major prize in a tight election race that Iraqis  hope will bring stability after years of sectarian conflict.

But partial results from 11 of Iraq’s 18 provinces,  representing only a small fraction of the vote, showed a contest  too close to call six days after the March 7 polls and suggested  weeks or months of horse-trading ahead to form a government.

Maliki’s State of Law coalition is leading among three top  rivals as electoral officials slowly release initial figures.

A cross-sectarian, secularist list headed by former Prime  Minister Iyad Allawi is running second, and the Iraqi National  Alliance (INA), a rival to Maliki among Iraq’s Shi’ite majority,  is a close third.

Politicians promised the parliamentary election would bring  better governance and security as the United States prepares to  end combat operations seven years after ousting Saddam Hussein.

With just 18 per cent of the count completed in Baghdad,  analyst Hazem al-Nuaimi cautioned against reading too much into  yesterday’s results. It is unclear which parts of the capital,  largely segregated along sectarian lines after the killing  unleashed in 2003, the early votes represent.

“It is clear that the final votes will be distributed among  the blocs closely,” Nuaimi said. “This means there will no  winning bloc with a big margin.”

Days after the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC)  expected to release full initial results, Maliki’s coalition led  in five provinces.

Allawi’s Iraqiya list was ahead by wide margins in three  provinces home to large numbers of minority Sunnis, eager to  change the Shi’ite-led government they feel has mistreated them  since 2003. The INA is ahead in two provinces in the Shi’ite  south, while powerful Kurdish parties led as expected in Arbil.

Even before a clear national picture had emerged, the  political manoeuvring was under way.

Mindful that minority Kurds may prove kingmakers, Allawi  held talks with Masoud Barzani, the leader of Iraqi Kurdistan.

“I came here to talk with the Kurdish leadership and with my  brother the president. We share the same point of view for what  should happen in Iraq regarding stability,” Allawi said.   Lawmaker Hassan al-Sunaid, a senior member of Maliki’s Dawa  Party, said the State of Law coalition was also talking with the  Kurds and would hold discussions with other winning alliances.