Bremer 'the dictator of Iraq'

2004-06-02 13:01

Baghdad - UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi on Wednesday responded to criticism of US involvement in the nomination of the new Iraqi government by stressing Washington was still the dominant force in the country.

"I would remind you the Americans are governing the country so their point of view was certainly taken into consideration," he said at a news conference.

"I don't think he'd mind my saying this: Bremer is the dictator of Iraq. He has the money, he has the signature," said Brahimi after stressing he had been invited to choose the new cabinet at the request of the Americans and the now-disbanded Governing Council.

The final line-up was the product of haggling, notably between the US and the council. The sides formed a working committee along with Brahimi to vet the list of contenders, the envoy said.

Representing the Governing Council in those talks were Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani, Shiite and Communist party leader Hamid Majid Mussa and Sunni tribal sheikh Ghazi al-Yawar, the envoy said.

Yawar was tapped on Tuesday after a bruising competition with fellow Sunni leader Adnan Pachachi for the largely ceremonial role of the interim government's president.

"Ultimately you know that you have very, very complicated issues. What you have to do then is a compromise, with strengths and weaknesses. And the overall picture is positive.... very much positive," Brahimi said.

But he admitted that the new Iraqi executive unveiled on Tuesday was not ideal and stressed its members would have to work hard to earn legitimacy.

"None of us should forget that ultimately it is only an elected government that can legitimately claim to represent the people of Iraq," Brahimi said.

They have not been elected

"Meanwhile the members of this government know and should not forget that they have not been elected.

"This government will therefore have its work cut out for it. It will not be easy for them to prove the sceptics wrong."

Prime minister Iyad Allawi's government will be tasked with bringing security back to the war-torn country and organising free elections next year.

"Nobody would expect the rich diversity of Iraq to be fully represented to the satisfaction of every ethnic group, every province, every religious group and every one of the several hundred political parties," Brahimi said.

Allawi had close ties with the US Central Intelligence Agency, and like many of his ministers, is a former exile with little popular support in Iraq.

- AFP