The Arab League chief has shown little eagerness to embrace a new US-backed Iraqi national council as its peopleâs representative, reflecting wider Arab wariness about Americaâs intentions in Iraq. âIf this council was elected, it would have gained much power and credibility,â Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said in a statement released by the league Sunday night, hours after a 25-member governing council bringing together Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds, Christians and ethnic Turks met for the first time in Baghdad. The councilâs makeup was ironed out in negotiations involving US officials and Iraqis who had opposed Saddam Hussein.
| "Nope. Nossir. I don't like it." |
The council, which was to meet Monday to name a leader, has the power to name ministers and approve the 2004 budget, but L. Paul Bremer, a former State Department anti-terrorism official who took over the civilian operation in Iraq on May 12, has the last word on Iraqâs affairs. The council is meant to be the forerunner of a larger constitutional assembly that will have about a year to draft a new constitution. Moussa said he hoped the council would be a step toward âregaining Iraqi sovereignty and the emergence of a new Iraq governed by the sons of its people and toward an end to occupation.â But he said its powers were not yet clear, and added that the league and the Arab world would âclosely monitorâ its work.
| Do that. Try and stay out of the way while you're doing it... |
|