New Zealand PM hopes to finalize coalition deals

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key expects coalition deals to be signed with two minor parties by the end of this week as negotiations on the forming of the new government continue, according to reports Tuesday.Key's National Party, which holds 60 of the 121 seats in parliament after Saturday's election, would have a slim majority with the support of United Future and ACT, which each have just one member of parliament.However, it also hoped to negotiate a confidence and supply agreement with the Maori Party, which has three members, Radio New Zealand reported.National led a coalition with the same three parties after the previous election in 2008."I'm absolutely confident we will get a deal done with United ( Future) and with ACT and I'd like to be in a position to tie those up by the latter part of the week if I can," Key reportedly said before the National Party's first post-election caucus meeting Tuesday.Key said he was optimistic about progress with the Maori Party though he accepted there was more work to be done before it agreed to support his government.According to the report, Key said the National Party's plan to partially privatize four state-owned energy companies and the national carrier Air New Zealand which the Maori Party opposes could be set aside from any deal."There's no particular reason why the mixed ownership model would have to be part of confidence and supply. We know that the SOE (state-owned enterprises) Act would need to be altered, but that doesn't necessarily have to be part of a confidence motion."Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia told Radio New Zealand earlier Tuesday that her party would not support the sale of shares in state assets.She said an agreement could be reached without Maori Party members of parliament having to vote for any sales."Confidence and supply is about budget and I'm not anticipating that as being part of any confidence and supply."According to the report, Maori Party president Pem Bird said the party would only enter a formal arrangement if it gets the support from its people.The party plans to hold a series of meetings with its supporters before committing to any deal.