Free Republic

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan welcomed Iraq "back into the family of independent and sovereign nations" Monday and called on all Iraqis to assist the new, interim government. The U.N. Security Council also welcomed the handover of power and the official end of the American and British occupation and reaffirmed "the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Iraq." Annan's top adviser on Iraq, Lakhdar Brahimi, said the "former occupying powers" and the new government must now demonstrate to the Iraqi people that the 150,000 foreign troops in the country are there to support the government in maintaining security — and...

Poll Shows Iraqis Optimistic About Institutions, Elections By Harold HeilsnisAmerican Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, June 28, 2004 – The Iraqi people expressed confidence in their country's future as it moves from occupation to the newly sovereign interim government toward free elections, according to a recent Coalition Provisional Authority poll. In the poll, conducted June 9-19, 68 percent of Iraqis expressed confidence in the interim Iraqi government, and 79 percent said the new government would make things better for Iraq. Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and President Ghazi al-Yawar also drew strong support, 73 percent and 84 percent, respectively. Pollsters commissioned...

A note from United States National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice to President George W. Bush confirming the formal handover of power in Iraq on June 28, 2004 as seen in this White House Photo.The note was passed to President Bush during a NATO summit in Istanbul and reads, 'Mr. President, Iraq is sovereign. Letter was passed from US Administrator Paul Bremer at 10:26 AM Iraqi time-Condi.' Prompting Bush to scribble back: 'Let Freedom Reign.'

Transfer Won't Immediately Stop Violence, Rumsfeld Says By Donna MilesAmerican Forces Press Service ISTANBUL, Turkey, June 28, 2004 — Today's transfer of sovereignty to the interim Iraqi government probably won't bring an immediate stop to terrorism plaguing the country, but it's likely to succeed over time as the Iraqi people support their new government, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here today. The secretary, here for the NATO Istanbul Summit, said the terrorists in Iraq were determined to prevent the handover of power from happening. "A successful Iraq that is peaceful and democratic and respectful of all the religious...

BAGHDAD — With little fanfare, Ambassador Paul Bremer signed the papers this morning transferring sovereignty to the Iraqi people in the presence of Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and Iraqi Chief Justice Midhat Al-Mahmoud. While governmental ceremonies throughout the world are often marked with fireworks, this surprise ceremony — two days before the anticipated official transfer of authority — was clearly intended to prevent fireworks of the more nefarious kind. The ceremony was conducted in the Green Zone with a small number of press present. The remainder of the press was informed by a phone call to the International Press Center....

THE HANDOVER HAS TAKEN PLACE And now NATO is on board. In a surprise move the official handover of power to the Iraqi government took place before you woke up this morning. Obviously the move was made early in an attempt to avoid a massive outbreak of violence from Saddam loyalists and Islamo-fascists in the last few days leading up to the scheduled turnover. We'll be watching as this news plays out over the next few days. This move isn't likely to please Democrats and liberals all that much either. Remember, To Democrats the number one goal this year is...

Stock Futures Point to Higher Opening 17 minutes ago By Nick Olivari NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures pointed to a higher market open on Monday after the earlier-than-expected transfer of Iraqi sovereignty to an interim government. The news that the United States handed over sovereignty two days ahead of expectations formally ended the 14-month occupation and overshadowed expectations for a rate hike by the Federal Reserve on Wednesday. Watson Pharmaceuticals (NYSE:WPI - news) fell before the opening bell after it forecast lower-than-anticipated results. Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT - news) may gain after the European Commission (news - web sites)...

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - White House national security adviser Condoleezza Rice Monday informed President Bush in a handwritten note of the transfer of authority in Baghdad, prompting Bush to scribble back: "Let freedom reign." "Mr. President, Iraq is sovereign. Letter was passed from (U.S. administrator Paul) Bremer at 10:26 a.m. Iraq time -- Condi," she wrote, according to copies of the note distributed by the White House. The note exchange took place during a meeting of NATO leaders in Istanbul. She handed the note to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who passed it along to Bush.

Return of Sovereignty Means 'Hopeful Day' for Iraq By Jim GaramoneAmerican Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, June 28, 2004 – The dedication and sacrifice of the U.S. military "has brought us to this hopeful day" of post-Saddam Hussein Iraq becoming a sovereign nation, President Bush said today during a short speech in Istanbul, Turkey, where he is attending the NATO Summit. Sovereignty transferred to the interim Iraqi government from the Coalition Provisional Authority, which has run the country for 14 months, two days ahead of schedule in a brief ceremony today. Bush said this is a day "of great hope...

FNC just announced that Saddam has been transfered into Iraqi custody

Occupation Ends; Iraqis Take Charge of Country's Fate By John D. BanusiewiczAmerican Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, June 28, 2004 – Sovereignty in Iraq passed from the Coalition Provisional Authority to the interim Iraqi government this morning, two days ahead of schedule. In a 10-minute ceremony inside the heavily fortified "Green Zone" where coalition headquarters is located in Baghdad, CPA administrator Ambassador L. Paul Bremer III read a letter he had signed which dissolved the CPA. "As recognized in U.N. Security Council Resolution 1546, the Coalition Provisional Authority will cease to exist on June 28, at which point the occupation...

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Dogs sniffed for explosives, mobile phones were impounded and U.S. officials bombarded reporters with contradictory orders and scant information just moments before Iraq formally regained sovereign powers. Journalists had been hastily summoned for what was billed as U.S. administrator Paul Bremer's last news conference before a handover not due until Wednesday, but the confusion and tight security suggested that something extraordinary was afoot. Two days early, Bremer was to dissolve the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), end more than 14 months of U.S.-British occupation and turn over control to an Iraqi interim government led by Prime Minister...

IRAQI LEADERS SWORN IN President Ghazo al-Yawar and prime minister Iyad Allawi have been sworn in to their positions in the new Iraqi government following today's surprise decision to go ahead with the transfer of power. The handover, after 14 months of occupation from the US-led coalition, was supposed to happen on June 30.       But Iraq's foreign minister, Hoshyar Zebari, said the deteriorating security situation in the country was one of the reasons why the date had been brought forwardIt was feared guerrillas would stage a major attack to derail the process.                                    Paul Bremer, head of the coalition provisional authority, presented the...

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The U.S.-led coalition transferred sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government two days early Monday in a surprise move that apparently caught insurgents off guard, averting a feared campaign of attacks to sabotage the highly symbolic step toward self-rule.......... Allawi "believed that it would improve his hand on facing the security threat, and the security threat is obviously increasing up to the day of June 30th. Is it going to prevent every act of terror? No, and I don't think anybody has tried to claim that," a senior administration official said.

Bremer Hands Over Iraqi Sovereignty Two Days Before Deadline more...

<p>June 28 (Bloomberg) -- The dollar gained in London against most major currencies after the U.S. handed over its authority in Iraq to a transitional government two days early.</p> <p>The dollar advanced to $1.2138 per euro as of 8:15 a.m. in London from $1.2178 in New York late on Friday, according to EBS, an electronic foreign-exchange dealing system. The U.S. currency also rose against the Swiss franc and 14 of 16 major currencies tracked by Bloomberg after Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said the date of the handover will be brought forward to today from the previously scheduled Wednesday.</p>

Handover of sovereignty in Iraq will take place Monday, two days before the June 30 deadline previously announced, diplomatic sources tell CNN. Details soon. (nothing follows at this time)

Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi (C) smiles as US civil administrator in Iraq Paul Bremer (R) shakes hand with the head of the Iraqi Supreme Court Midhat Mahmoud after handing over legal documents of Iraq's sovereignty during a simple ceremony in Baghdad. Iraq received its sovereignty from the US-led coalition after 14 months of occupation(AFP/Saeed Khan) U.S. Administrator L. Paul Bremer, right, shows a document to Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, center, and Iraqi Chief Justice Midhat al-Mahmoudi, left, transfering national sovereignty to Iraq at a ceremony in Baghdad, Iraq Monday, June 28, 2004.(AP Photo/Hussein Malla)  

IRAQ A SOVEREIGN STATE The handover of power in Iraq to an interim sovereign government has been completed after ministers made a surprise announcement that the transfer was being brought forward to today. The transer was supposed to take place on June 30. But Iraq's foreign minister, Hoshyar Zebari, said the deteriorating security situation in the country was one of the reasons why the date had been brought forward. "We will challenge these elements in Iraq, the anti-democratic elements, by even bringing the handover of sovereignty before June 30 as a sign we are ready for it," he said.He added:...