IRAQ: Iraq's US-backed Governing Council has named a Shia politician as its first leader.
Dr Ibrahim Jaafari, a medical doctor who is the spokesman for the Shia Da'wa party, was chosen yesterday, as the first president of the self-rule body.
After more than two weeks of laborious discussion, the Governing Council of 25 Iraqis decided on Tuesday that nine of its members - drawn from various religious, ethnic and political factions - would take turns at being president. Each will serve for a month. Dr Jaafari will be followed by Iraqi National Congress head, Mr Ahmed Chalabi.
Others representatives who will rotate the presidency are Mr Abdul Aziz al-Hakim of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI); Kurdish leaders of the Iraqi National Accord and leaders of the Iraqi Islamic Party among others. "The principle of a monthly rotating presidency was adopted to give a chance to the nine members," said Dr Jaafari.
"It will end, God willing, as soon as possible when the occupation ends and Iraq achieves political independence." One of the council's tasks is to select ministers to work with US officials.
Although the council has some limited powers, final control of Iraq still rests with US civilian administrator Mr Paul Bremer.
Choosing a leader was one of the first tasks of the council, which is also supposed to approve next year's budget and decide policy on economic reform and electoral laws.
"We hope that the transitional period will be as short as possible because we do not want the occupation and we want to achieve Iraq's independence as soon as possible," said Mr Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, of SCIRI.