NYT: Deadlock Seen on Presidency in Iraqi Talks

BAGHDAD, Iraq, May 29 — American, Iraqi and United Nations officials deadlocked Saturday over the selection of an Iraqi president, even as they appeared to strike a deal over the most important cabinet ministers for the new government that is to take over on July 1.

On one side of the deadlock are the United Nations envoy, Lakdar Brahimi, and the chief American administrator, L. Paul Bremer III, who are backing the former foreign minister, Adnan Pachachi. Leaders of the Iraqi Governing Council support a rival, Sheik Ghazi Ajil al-Yawar. Both men are Sunnis.

Some Iraqi officials said Saturday that Mr. Brahimi had reached agreements with Mr. Bremer and Iraqi leaders on six important cabinet positions. Two people close to the Iraqi Governing Council said Mr. Brahimi had reached agreements to name three Shiites, two Kurds and one Sunni to high-level jobs in the cabinet. That mix reflects the ethnic and religious balancing act under way.

(snip)

American officials say they are backing Mr. Pachachi in large part because they believe he would adhere to the interim constitution that was hammered out earlier this year and is meant to guide the new government until elections are held.

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/30/international/middleeast/30HAND.html?hp

Snowballs chance in hell.

As far as I know, their influence doesn't go beyond that room. What they agree to doesn't mean shit if the people won't accept them.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi leaders wrangled Sunday over the shape of a government due to take power from the U.S. occupation authority next month and who should succeed Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) as president.

With the top post of prime minister filled and likely accord on key ministries, Iraqi officials spoke of sharp disagreement on the largely ceremonial choice of head of state between Adnan Pachachi, veteran scion of a pre-Saddam political dynasty, and Ghazi Yawar, a youthful engineer long based in Saudi Arabia.


Many of the 23-member Iraqi Governing Council meeting on Sunday favored Yawar, said one senior Iraqi politician. But U.S. administrator Paul Bremer and U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi were putting the case for Pachachi, a former foreign minister.

~snip~
Bremer's U.S.-run authority took power after U.S.-led forces toppled Saddam 14 months ago. It intends to hand over formal sovereignty to the interim government on June 30, although some 150,000 foreign troops, mostly American, will stay on in Iraq.

~snip~
more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&ncid=578&e=5&u=/nm/20040530/ts_nm/iraq_dc

the Iraqis decide, because the only folks they'll accept is someone promoted by the Iraqis.

At least the Iraqi Governing Council is closer to the Iraqis than Bremer's crew is.

~snip~
A council member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. governor of Iraq, L. Paul Bremer, and special U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi were exerting "massive pressure" to choose former Foreign Minister Adnan Pachachi.


However, the council member said most of the 22 members favored the current head of the council, civil engineer Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer. Both are Sunni Arab Muslims.


According to the council member, Bremer and Brahimi were urging the Governing Council not to take a vote on the issue but to declare support for Pachachi by acclamation.

They are interfering with the work of the Governing Council and we are not going and succumb to this," the council member said.

~snip~

more:http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040530/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_politics&cid=540&ncid=1480

wonder if this council member will end up being Chalibi???

~snip~
U.S. and U.N. officials may now be ready to propose a third candidate to break the deadlock, one senior Iraqi official said.

Many of the 23-member Iraqi Governing Council meeting on Sunday favoured Yawar, said another senior politician. But U.S. administrator Paul Bremer and U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi were putting the case for Pachachi, a former foreign minister.

Council member Yonadam Kanna said during a break in talks that Bremer and Brahimi were floating a compromise choice: "We hear from Bremer and the U.N. there is another candidate. We have not been informed who," Kanna, a Christian, told Reuters.

U.S. and U.N. officials are mediating among Iraq's religious and ethnic groups. Prime minister-designate Iyad Allawi is from the long oppressed Shi'ite majority. Governing Council members Pachachi and Yawar are, like Saddam, Sunni Arabs.
~snip~

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2230-2004May30.html

:kick:

I thought Brahimi was going to largely stay away from people on the IGC because of the lack of credibility to the population. This whole process has me confused 'cuz it looks like everybody they're naming is from the ICG.

I heard it earlier, CNN or Headline News I think...

This is an another massive, I mean gargantuan, Cthulu-like massive diplomatic failure...Did I say this is ANOTHER one?

Things are going to hell and quick. The admin is in total panic mode and chaos. No one knows what the fuck they are doing and it's every man for himself. We should all be very afraid.

The Americans threatened not to recognize the council's choice, the member said on condition of anonymity. The Coalition Provisional Authority, run by Bremer, has the final say in all policy decisions in Iraq.


Coalition spokesman Dan Senor denied the Americans were showing favoritism toward Pachachi. "We are not pressuring or urging any one candidate over another," he told reporters.


The tough stand by Bremer in support of Pachachi, an 81-year-old former exile, was unexpected because the Americans had signaled that they were primarily interested in approving the choice for prime minister, the top executive job that went to U.S.-backed Iyad Allawi, a Shiite Muslim, on Friday.


The presidency will be a largely ceremonial post with little power.
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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=736&e=5&u=/ap/20040530/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_politics

The council will meet again on Monday, but informal consultations will continue later Sunday, according to council sources.