arh777
03-18-2005, 12:33 PM
Bush praises new Iraqi parliament (18/03/05)
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US President George W. Bush has described the inaugural session of the new Iraqi parliament as a bright moment for Iraq, calling ongoing talks a "wholesome process".
Negotiations between the Shia and Kurd parties which won January's election, the first free election in 50 years, are currently taking place s. The session ended after the 275 deputies were sworn in.
George W. Bush
"It's a bright moment in what is a process toward writing of a constitution, the ratification of the constitution and elections," Mr Bush said at a press conference. "We've always said this is a process and today was a step in that process."
The president reiterated his view that democracy would take root in the Middle East in the future, but said he was not interested in finding "vindication" for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. "The people who deserve the credit in Iraq are the Iraqi citizens that defied the terrorists."
Negotiators say the parties in Iraq's Transitional National Assembly hope to reach an agreement on a government by the end of the month. Politicians across the board, aware of rising public impatience, agreed to hold the inaugural meeting in order to give at least a semblance of progress.
Once it agrees on a government, the assembly must see through a new constitution in time for a general election in December which is meant to produce a permanent National Assembly. The Shia United Iraqi Alliance, which won just over half the seats in the transitional assembly, has been in talks for several weeks with the Kurdish bloc.
Source: BBC
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US President George W. Bush has described the inaugural session of the new Iraqi parliament as a bright moment for Iraq, calling ongoing talks a "wholesome process".
Negotiations between the Shia and Kurd parties which won January's election, the first free election in 50 years, are currently taking place s. The session ended after the 275 deputies were sworn in.
George W. Bush
"It's a bright moment in what is a process toward writing of a constitution, the ratification of the constitution and elections," Mr Bush said at a press conference. "We've always said this is a process and today was a step in that process."
The president reiterated his view that democracy would take root in the Middle East in the future, but said he was not interested in finding "vindication" for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. "The people who deserve the credit in Iraq are the Iraqi citizens that defied the terrorists."
Negotiators say the parties in Iraq's Transitional National Assembly hope to reach an agreement on a government by the end of the month. Politicians across the board, aware of rising public impatience, agreed to hold the inaugural meeting in order to give at least a semblance of progress.
Once it agrees on a government, the assembly must see through a new constitution in time for a general election in December which is meant to produce a permanent National Assembly. The Shia United Iraqi Alliance, which won just over half the seats in the transitional assembly, has been in talks for several weeks with the Kurdish bloc.
Source: BBC