Iraq's interim President Ghazi al-Yawar yesterday sought reconciliation with radical Sunni parties, which boycotted the country's watershed election as the final vote count got under way.

Iraq saw a second day free of major attacks after Sunday's vote, the first free election in the country in more than 50 years.

But al-Qaeda frontman Abu Musab al-Zarqawi vowed to pursue his "holy war" against the Iraqi government and the United States said it was too early to consider a timetable for withdrawing its 150,000 troops.

Yawar, a Sunni Arab, said all parties -- except those tainted by the deadly insurgency that has gripped Iraq since Saddam Hussein's overthrow in April 2003 -- should take

part in negotiations after the election.

"We must all become involved in a dialogue and reconciliation... with everyone. All those who were not involved in violence must be part of the political process," Yawar told a press conference.

"There were no winners or losers," he said, calling the event "a victory for Iraq."

The election is likely to see Shias take power in Iraq for the first time in history after decades of oppression under Saddam's Sunni regime.

The final count of ballots started amid stringent security in Baghdad although no announcement of the final result is expected for at least five days.

But party officials said negotiations between rival parties over the makeup of the new government had already started.

The president called on the Iraqi Islamic Party, a mainstream Sunni religious faction which ordered supporters to boycott the poll, to join the drawing up of a new constitution.

Yawar also predicted that a member of the Shia majority community would have the key post of prime minister, with a Sunni president and a Kurdish head of the national assembly.

A senior Shia leader, Vice President Ibrahim Jaafari, has already indicated a similar shareout of the posts. Yawar insisted however that the arrangement should not become permanent in Iraq, saying it would be "shameful".

The president's message to Sunni groups reinforced the message of Prime Minister Iyad Allawi who on Monday urged Iraqis to unite after the election which has been praised around the world.

"All Iraqis should work together to build the future of our nation -whether you voted or not," said Allawi, who also vowed to include the Sunnis in the next phase of the political transition.

Although turnout was higher than expected, there was still a widespread rejection in Sunni-populated regions following the boycott calls and bomb attacks during the campaign.

Iraq's most important Sunni religious organisation said it still regarded the election as illegitimate.

The Committee of Muslim Scholars, which had urged followers to boycott the poll, said it had been a "bogus" election organised to suit the United States.

The rival groups that took part are still waiting for the final results which are not expected before Sunday.