- Title: IRAQ: UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN OPEN CONSULATES IN NORTHERN CITY OF KIRKUK
- Date: 20th July 2004
- Summary: (EU) KIRKUK, IRAQ (JULY 20, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. U.S AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ JOHN NEGROPONTE AND BRITAIN'S AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ EDWARD CHAPLIN ENTERING BUILDING OF CONSULATES WITH THE TWO COUNTRIES' OFFICIALS 0.12 2. STAFF OF AMERICAN CONSULATE RAISING FLAG 0.28 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE, SAYING: "We seek to be a friend and
- Embargoed: 4th August 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: KIRKUK, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVA1VND7ERS2YHNURW8RCM7VNH7M
- Story Text: U.S. and Britain open offices in the northern city of Kirkuk.
The American and the British flags were raised over a new building
housing the two countries' consulates in the northern oil-rich city of
Kirkuk on Tuesday (July 20).
The flag-raising ceremony was attended by U.S. ambassador to Iraq John
Negroponte and British Ambassador Edward Chaplin, a number of the two
countries' officials and Kirkuk governor as well as Iraqi officials in the city.
Addressing an audience, Negroponte said that the United States would
assist Iraqis in building their future.
"We seek to be a friend and supporter of everyone here as you forge
your future within the guidelines set by the transitional administrative
law and United Nations Security Council resolution 1546," Negroponte said.
As part of transfer of power to Iraqis, the United States opened late
last month the doors to one of its largest embassies in the world and
the first U.S. embassy in Iraq in over a decade.
The embassy's diplomatic staff replaced the coalition's administrative
staff and become the main non-military, or civil, U.S. presence in Iraq.
Negroponte leads a staff of 1,700 employees, made up of about 1,000
Americans and 700 Iraqis, according to the State Department.
British ambassador Edward Chaplin for his part said that the opening of
the consulate in Kirkuk would serve the five northern provinces.
"I am now delighted to be raising the flag over the British office
in Kirkuk, which covers the five provinces of Kirkuk, Mosul, Duhouk, Arbil
and Suleimaniya."
Britain formally opened an embassy in Baghdad earlier this month after
having severed diplomatic ties with Iraq on February 6, 1991, in the
build-up to the first Gulf War .
Besides its consulate in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, Britain also
officially opened an office in the southern city of Basra, where most
British troops in Iraq are based.
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