Washington, Feb 14, SPA -- President George W. Bush congratulatedthe Iraqi candidates and voters as final results in the country's national elections showed Shiites and Kurds led the ballot. "The world saw long lines of Iraqi men and women votingin a free and fair election for the first time in theirlives," Bush said in a statement Sunday. "The UnitedStates and our coalition partners can all take pride in ourrole in making that great day possible." Parties have three days to lodge complaints, after whichthe results will be certified and seats in the new NationalAssembly distributed. Seats will generally be allocatedaccording to the percentage of votes that each ticket won. "I congratulate the Iraqi people for defying terroristthreats and setting their country on the path of democracyand freedom," Bush said. "And I congratulate everycandidate who stood for election and those who will takeoffice once the results are certified." Lawmakers appearing on Sunday talk shows said a politicalgive-and-take to form a coalition is expected now thatelection results show no Iraqi group won the votes neededto form a new government on its own. "That's really part of that democracy that we're all sohappy that they're moving toward," Senate Majority LeaderBill Frist, a Tennessess Republican, said on "Fox NewsSunday." The State Department called the election "a positive andsignificant accomplishment" and encouraged Iraqis who werenot elected to remain involved in the political process.--SPA1149 Local Time 0849 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/239304