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28/06/2004
Bremer jets home after US transfers power early in Iraq
It was a subdued affair, but the US has handed over power in Iraq two days before the transfer was scheduled to take place.
At a press conference in Washington this morning, a spokesperson for the Bush administration said that Iraqis had moved at "warp-speed" in taking control of government.
The endgame for the derogation of power began last Thursday when Iraqi ministers took over control of their departments. Since then, Iraqis have been running the "day-to-day affairs of the new Iraqi government", the spokesperson said.
During today's press conference it emerged that Iraq's Prime Minister Iyad Allawi had "strongly advised" the US that today would be "the right day" to transfer power as it would "strengthen his hand in dealing with the terrorist threat in his country and that it would demonstrate to the Iraqi people that… this new government is capable, willing, and ready to run their country, to improve the daily lives of the Iraqi people, and to improve the security environment in their country".
The handover was low-key; the US administrator Paul Bremer gave the new Iraqi prime minister and president a letter from President Bush requesting resumption of diplomatic relations. With the official handover, and the US administrator's role superfluous, Mr Bremer immediately returned to the US by plane.
The new US ambassador to Iraq, John Negroponte, will be arriving in the country shortly. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz said last Friday that a new US embassy in Iraq will open for business on July 1 - although this may have changed in view of today's handover.
Regarding the US military role, Iraqis will make the decisions about how their country is governed, but as leaders of the Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF) the US will continue assisting with security operations, and equipping and training Iraqi security forces.
Over the next few months, Iraqi security forces will take local control of cities, as the multinational forces move into a supporting role.
The members of the new government will have responsibility for Iraq’s day-to-day governance until elections are held in January 2005.
The Iraqi interim government will still hold a handover ceremony on June 30.
(gmcg)
At a press conference in Washington this morning, a spokesperson for the Bush administration said that Iraqis had moved at "warp-speed" in taking control of government.
The endgame for the derogation of power began last Thursday when Iraqi ministers took over control of their departments. Since then, Iraqis have been running the "day-to-day affairs of the new Iraqi government", the spokesperson said.
During today's press conference it emerged that Iraq's Prime Minister Iyad Allawi had "strongly advised" the US that today would be "the right day" to transfer power as it would "strengthen his hand in dealing with the terrorist threat in his country and that it would demonstrate to the Iraqi people that… this new government is capable, willing, and ready to run their country, to improve the daily lives of the Iraqi people, and to improve the security environment in their country".
The handover was low-key; the US administrator Paul Bremer gave the new Iraqi prime minister and president a letter from President Bush requesting resumption of diplomatic relations. With the official handover, and the US administrator's role superfluous, Mr Bremer immediately returned to the US by plane.
The new US ambassador to Iraq, John Negroponte, will be arriving in the country shortly. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz said last Friday that a new US embassy in Iraq will open for business on July 1 - although this may have changed in view of today's handover.
Regarding the US military role, Iraqis will make the decisions about how their country is governed, but as leaders of the Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF) the US will continue assisting with security operations, and equipping and training Iraqi security forces.
Over the next few months, Iraqi security forces will take local control of cities, as the multinational forces move into a supporting role.
The members of the new government will have responsibility for Iraq’s day-to-day governance until elections are held in January 2005.
The Iraqi interim government will still hold a handover ceremony on June 30.
(gmcg)
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Reid suggests UK troops could soon leave Iraq
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Reid suggests UK troops could soon leave Iraq
Defence Secretary John Reid has suggested that UK troops could begin withdrawing from Iraq this year. In a speech to the Foreign Press Association in London yesterday, Mr Reid said that the "time is approaching" when coalition forces could begin leaving Iraq. However, he stressed that the government would not "cut and run".
28 June 2004
Blair welcomes transfer of power to Iraqis
Prime Minister Tony Blair has welcomed the transfer of sovereignty back into the hands of local authorities and said that it was "the will of the whole international community for Iraq to take control of its own destiny".
Blair welcomes transfer of power to Iraqis
Prime Minister Tony Blair has welcomed the transfer of sovereignty back into the hands of local authorities and said that it was "the will of the whole international community for Iraq to take control of its own destiny".
13 November 2003
Italians will stay on in Iraq despite bombing
Silvio Berlusconi has today restated his country's commitment to Iraq following Tuesday's blast in which 18 Italians and nine Iraqis were killed. The blast on Tuesday occurred after a suicide bomber drove a petrol tanker at the Italian headquarters in the town of Nasiriyah.
Italians will stay on in Iraq despite bombing
Silvio Berlusconi has today restated his country's commitment to Iraq following Tuesday's blast in which 18 Italians and nine Iraqis were killed. The blast on Tuesday occurred after a suicide bomber drove a petrol tanker at the Italian headquarters in the town of Nasiriyah.
09 March 2006
Iraq video abuse row soldier released
A soldier who was arrested in connection with a video which shows British troops apparently abusing Iraqi civilians has been interviewed and released. Three other soldiers have already been arrested over the video, which caused a row when the 'News of the World' recently published footage from it.
Iraq video abuse row soldier released
A soldier who was arrested in connection with a video which shows British troops apparently abusing Iraqi civilians has been interviewed and released. Three other soldiers have already been arrested over the video, which caused a row when the 'News of the World' recently published footage from it.
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