Mr Hakim said: “He expressed concern about real gaps, which must be dealt with or the plan will lack the ability to meet the hopes of the Iraqi people.” His comments come days after Muqtader Sada, a radical anti-American Shia cleric, dismissed the proposed handover of power by 1 July as inadequate in a [...]
Mr Hakim said: “He expressed concern about real gaps, which must be dealt with or the plan will lack the ability to meet the hopes of the Iraqi people.” His comments come days after Muqtader Sada, a radical anti-American Shia cleric, dismissed the proposed handover of power by 1 July as inadequate in a New York Times interview, and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the allied forces.Many Shias were wary of the American-led invasion but have since consolidated their gains by securing a majority of seats on the Governing Council and in the interim cabinet. Of the future of the 9,800 British troops in southern Iraq, he said: “We will stay as long as the Iraqi government and people wants us to stay and there is a job for us to do.”Mr Hakim said he had discussed the US’s proposals with the ayatollah, who told him they were flawed because they did not include a ban on legislating anything that contradicts Islam. This, too, will concern Americans who want a constitution that establishes a secular government. Mr Straw said he was “absolutely sure” that the plans would “assist the security situation”. He nearly had a first-hand experience of the violence on Tuesday night, when guerrillas fired three rockets that landed near the complex where he was staying He said yesterday he had been unaware of the attacks.
The ayatollah’s views on this plan, which stopped short of outright rejection, were outlined yesterday by Abdul-Aziz Hakim, a member of the US-appointed Iraqi Governing Council, on the same day that Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, was promoting the proposals during a visit to Baghdad. But this frail and reclusive figure, based in a modest office in the holy Shia city of Najaf, has become a powerful presence on the political landscape.In June, he issued a fatwa that did much to sink a plan by Mr Bremer to appoint the authors of Iraq’s new constitution. The ayatollah’s edict stated that he would only support a constitution written by Iraqis chosen through a general election. This month, eager to hasten the transfer of political responsibility to Iraqis and quell the worsening violence, the US revised its strategy, producing plans for a 250-member transitional assembly, chosen by provincial caucuses, which would assume sovereignty and then set about drafting a constitution. Although the Americans do not want their policy determined by a Shia religious leader, they know that many Shia Iraqis would be unlikely to accept proposals that were rejected by him. Since the occupation, Ayatollah Sistani has avoided involvement in the political fray. The Bush administration’s plans for formally ending the occupation of Iraq face further complications with signs of hardening opposition from the country’s most influential Shia Muslim cleric.
Mr Ross warned: “If the moment of opportunity is lost and Ahmad Qureia fails, there won’t be a third Palestinian prime minister who can emerge and create another diplomatic opening any time soon.”. Washington is now following up by trimming the loan guarantees.But it is unclear how much political capital Mr Bush will invest in the Middle East before next year’s election. The pro-Israel stance of his administration is popular with the Christian right, a key Republican constituency. The Palestinian public, Mr Ross said, must be shown that Mr Qureia and other reformers, can “deliver”, by changing Israel’s behaviour.In London last week, President Bush demanded Israeli action in all three areas. And even if Mr Qureia can persuade the main militant groups to agree a truce, he will be able to deliver only if he can point to reciprocal steps by the Israelis.These will have to include not just an end to the present siege of Palestinian territories and the checkpoints that enforce it, but a halt to construction of the border “fence” and a suspension of settlement activities. Mr Arafat still controls the Palestinian security apparatus, and was powerful enough to force from office Mr Qureia’s predecessor, Abu Mazen, formally known as Mahmoud Abbas.Representatives of Hamas and Islamic Jihad are expected to meet in Cairo next week to agree a ceasefire, the Israeli pre-condition for any progress But further attacks cannot be ruled out.
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