06-28-2004, 11:13 AM
<span style='font-size:25pt;line-height:100%'>Iraq Sovereignty Handover Brought Forward to Today (Update1) </span>
June 28 (Bloomberg) -- Iraq's interim government took power today, two days earlier than scheduled, a step Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said will show that the administration is ready to tackle terrorists trying to undermine it.
Paul Bremer, the top U.S. civilian administrator in Iraq, handed over ``legal authority'' to Iraq's chief justice in a ceremony this morning, Victoria Whitford, a spokeswoman for the coalition forces in Baghdad, said in a telephone interview.
``Even before June 30, I believe that we will challenge these terrorists, the criminals, the Saddamists and anti-democratic forces by bringing even the date of the handover of sovereignty forward as a sign that we are ready,'' Zebari said after a meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair at a summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Istanbul.
The alliance may respond to a request from the Iraqi government by agreeing to help with training Iraqi security forces. NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said yesterday the organization's help would contribute to ending insurgencies against the U.S. occupiers and the Iraqi government.
Blair said an announcement on the handover will come later today. Blair is due to meet U.S. President George W. Bush this afternoon.
``But the important thing to understand from now on is that Iraq controls its own destiny'' he said. ``We are there to help and support from now on.''
Increasing Violence
Violence has been increasing in recent days as the U.S. prepares to hand over authority to the temporary government headed by Ayad Allawi. More than 100 people died and 300 were injured in bomb attacks in Baghdad and four other Iraqi cities on Thursday. On Saturday, a car bomb killed 23 Iraqi civilians south of Baghdad. This morning a U.S. marine and three U.K. soldiers were reported killed.
``This is a hugely important struggle on behalf not just of the people of Iraq but the wider world,'' Blair said. ``We have got to do everything we can by way of training and equipment and support.''
To contact the reporter on this story:
Rob Hutton in Istanbul at Rhutton1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Catherine Hickley in Istanbul at chickley@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: June 28, 2004 03:26 EDT
http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=1...fM&refer=europe
June 28 (Bloomberg) -- Iraq's interim government took power today, two days earlier than scheduled, a step Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said will show that the administration is ready to tackle terrorists trying to undermine it.
Paul Bremer, the top U.S. civilian administrator in Iraq, handed over ``legal authority'' to Iraq's chief justice in a ceremony this morning, Victoria Whitford, a spokeswoman for the coalition forces in Baghdad, said in a telephone interview.
``Even before June 30, I believe that we will challenge these terrorists, the criminals, the Saddamists and anti-democratic forces by bringing even the date of the handover of sovereignty forward as a sign that we are ready,'' Zebari said after a meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair at a summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Istanbul.
The alliance may respond to a request from the Iraqi government by agreeing to help with training Iraqi security forces. NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said yesterday the organization's help would contribute to ending insurgencies against the U.S. occupiers and the Iraqi government.
Blair said an announcement on the handover will come later today. Blair is due to meet U.S. President George W. Bush this afternoon.
``But the important thing to understand from now on is that Iraq controls its own destiny'' he said. ``We are there to help and support from now on.''
Increasing Violence
Violence has been increasing in recent days as the U.S. prepares to hand over authority to the temporary government headed by Ayad Allawi. More than 100 people died and 300 were injured in bomb attacks in Baghdad and four other Iraqi cities on Thursday. On Saturday, a car bomb killed 23 Iraqi civilians south of Baghdad. This morning a U.S. marine and three U.K. soldiers were reported killed.
``This is a hugely important struggle on behalf not just of the people of Iraq but the wider world,'' Blair said. ``We have got to do everything we can by way of training and equipment and support.''
To contact the reporter on this story:
Rob Hutton in Istanbul at Rhutton1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Catherine Hickley in Istanbul at chickley@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: June 28, 2004 03:26 EDT
http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=1...fM&refer=europe
Truth 'll prevail