Posted on 06/28/2004 10:35:25 PM PDT by anonymoussierra
Iraq's interim government has been sworn in after the surprise handover of power from the US-led coalition. The transfer, which was originally scheduled for Wednesday, took place in a closed ceremony in Baghdad this morning. The interim government said the transfer had been brought forward to avert attacks by militants opposed to the US-led occupation and the new Iraqi leadership.
Hours before the swearing in outgoing US administrator Paul Bremer handed a letter of empowerment to Iraqi officials including the President Ghazi Yawar, and Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.
Although the new government will have "full sovereignty", according to a U.N. Security Council resolution there are important constraints on its powers. It is barred from making long-term policy decisions and will not have control of foreign troops. The government has the right to ask them to leave -- but has made clear it has no intention of doing so. A short time after his duties were fulfilled Bremer left the country. He had been Washington's top administrator there since May 2003.
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