UNITED NATIONS, Aug 11 (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday welcomed what he described as "the forward movement toward government formation in Iraq" and praised the Iraqi president's decision to ask Haidar al-Abadi to form a new cabinet, the United Nations said.
"He encourages Dr. al-Abadi, Prime Minister-designate, to form a broad-based government acceptable to all components of Iraqi society," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters.
Dujarric said Ban worries that the increased political tensions coupled with the threat posed by the military offensive of Islamic State militants "could lead the country into even deeper crisis." (Reporting by Louis Charbonneau; Editing by Chris Reese)
