'Bright moment' in Iraq - Bush

2005-03-17 07:58

Washington - United States President George W Bush on Wednesday hailed the opening of Iraq's new national assembly as "a bright moment" and downplayed its failure thus far to agree on a unity government for the war-torn country.

"I congratulate the Iraqis for their assembly," Bush said at the outset of a press conference almost two years to the day after he ordered US troops to invade Iraq to topple dictator Saddam Hussein.

"It's a bright moment in what is a process toward writing of a constitution, the ratification of the constitution and elections," said the president. "We've always said this is a process and today was a step in that process."

The milestone 90-minute session, six weeks after Iraq's first free elections in half a century, was largely ceremonial because of a political stalemate over the Kurds' political role and the status of their militia.

'Positive example'

Bush downplayed the failure to name a cabinet, but acknowledged "there's a lot of work to be done" as the body moves ahead with its main task of drafting a constitution ahead of elections expected for late this year.

He said the "wholesome process" of debating the shape of a new government in Iraq "in a transparent way" was encouragement enough that democracy was growing there and will be "a positive example" throughout the Middle East.

With smaller members of the US-led military coalition dropping out, Bush also downplayed Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's announcement that Rome looked to start withdrawing its 3 300 troops out of Iraq in September.

Bush said he had telephoned Berlusconi to tell him the White House had settled on Pentagon number two and leading Iraq war architect Paul Wolfowitz to head the World Bank, and the prime minister had broached the troop withdrawal.

"He wanted me to know that there was no change in his policy; that, in fact, any withdrawals would be done in consultation with allies and would be done depending upon the ability of Iraqis to defend themselves," said the US leader.

Bush repeated that democracy in Iraq would help spread reforms throughout the Middle East "over time," but carefully avoided claiming vindication from Palestinian elections or growing pressure for Syria to quit Lebanon.

"I just don't worry about vindication," he said. "The people who deserve the credit in Iraq are the Iraqi citizens that defied the terrorists."

"I firmly believe that (thanks to) the examples of Iraq and Afghanistan, I believe there will be a Palestinian state, I believe we'll be able to convince Syria to fully withdraw ... from Lebanon or else she'll be isolated, I believe those examples will serve as examples for others over time," he said.

More people than ever, 47%, said going to war was the wrong decision.

- AFP