Iraq to have transition government by June - council

Iraq's interim Governing Council said this afternoon that a transitional government would be in place by next June and an elected…

Iraq's interim Governing Council said this afternoon that a transitional government would be in place by next June and an elected government would follow by the end of 2005 after the drafting of a constitution.

The Governing Council unveiled the new timetable after the
United States gave up its earlier insistence that a constitution
be drafted and ratified before a sovereign government could take
over from the US-British occupying powers.

Chief US administrator Paul Bremer formally presented the proposed policy shift - accelerating Iraqi self-rule - to Iraq's Governing Council, according to a member of the 24-seat body.

The change appeared aimed at defusing growing attacks against coalition forces.

READ MORE

Mr Bremer, who has just returned from talks in Washington with US President George W Bush and his top advisers, met in Baghdad yesterday with Jalal Talabani, the head of the Iraqi Governing Council to discuss the new policy proposals regarding a return of Iraqi sovereignty, said Mahmoud Othman, a member of the body.