Iraq interim govt begins work, Bush praises warning violence rise

By: Hamoud Kufi

BAGHDAD, Iraq: Officials announced Iraq’s entire interim government due to take power on June 30 — and the body moved quickly to begin its work after a tribal leader was named president of the country's incoming government Tuesday. The Governing Council decided to dissolve immediately to make way rather than wait until June 30.

As word of Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer's appointment was announced, a car bomb blew up outside the offices of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, which is located just outside the green zone U.S. coalition headquarters in central Baghdad.

In his first news conference as president, Yawar said Iraqis “look forward to being granted full sovereignty through a Security Council resolution to enable us to rebuild a free, independent, democratic and federal, unified homeland.”

The incoming Prime Minister, Iyad Allawi, said his government would soon negotiate a crucial agreement on the status of US-led international forces that will remain in Iraq.

US President Bush praised the new government, saying its selection “brings us one step closer to realizing the dream of millions of Iraqis: a fully sovereign nation with a representative government that protects their rights and serves their needs.”

But he cautioned that the transfer of authority to a new interim Iraqi government could be accompanied by an increase, rather than a lessening, of violence.

Speaking at a news conference in the White House Rose Garden, Bush said Tuesday: “This 33-member cabinet announced today reflects new leadership, drawn from a broad cross section of Iraqis…The foremost task of this new interim government will be to prepare Iraq for a national election no later than January of next year.”

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