IRAQ: HEAD OF IRAQ'S U.S.-BACKED GOVERNING COUNCIL JALAL TALABANI MEETS WITH TOP SHI'ITE CLERIC AYATOLLAH ALI AL-SISTANI IN NAJAF

Record ID: 566134

  • Title: IRAQ: HEAD OF IRAQ'S U.S.-BACKED GOVERNING COUNCIL JALAL TALABANI MEETS WITH TOP SHI'ITE CLERIC AYATOLLAH ALI AL-SISTANI IN NAJAF
  • Date: 27th November 2003
  • Summary: (W5) NAJAF, IRAQ (NOVEMBER 27, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL IN IRAQ, JALAL TALABANI'S ESCORTS OUTSIDE THE HOUSE OF ABDUL AZIZ EL-HAKIM, HEAD OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL FOR THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTION IN IRAQ (SCIRI) 0.06 2. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ABDUL AZIZ EL-HAKIM, HEAD OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL FOR THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTION IN IRAQ (SCIRI) SAYING: "It was a good meeting. We welcome Mr. Talabani who gave lots of assurances and God willing we will co-operate to reach a certain formula that is in accord with all Iraqis." (2 SHOTS) 0.38 3. JOURNALISTS LISTENING 0.40 4. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) JALAL TALABANI, PRESIDENT OF THE GOVERNING COUNCIL IN IRAQ, SAYING: "I believe his eminence Grand Ayatollah Sistani is an open minded man and he appreciates the Iraqi situation. God willing we will present these views (Sistani) and support him in the Council. As we did in the past and presented his opinion on the permanent Constitution to the council. His eminence called for the election of a council by the Iraqi people to draft the permanent constitution. That opinion has been fully accepted by the governing council and the Coalition too. This other opinion will be presented to the Council and God willing will we succeed in approving it." 1.19 5. TALABANI AND HAKIM LEAVE NEWS CONFERENCE 1.33 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 12th December 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NAJAF, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVACPQVNI3T7YMLKASMR7VAE3W7A
  • Story Text: The head of Iraq's U.S.-backed Governing Council has met
    with the top Shi'ite religious authority.


    The head of Iraq's U.S.-backed Governing Council met
    the top Shi'ite religious authority on Thursday (November
    27) to try to overcome the cleric's objections to a U.S.

    political roadmap for the handover of power to Iraqis.

    A spokesman for Jalal Talabani, current president of
    the Governing Council, said he believed the plan -- which
    foresees indirect elections of a body that would pick a
    transitional government and oversee the writing of a
    constitution -- dealt with objections by top Shi'ite cleric
    Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.

    In a joint news conference with Sayed Abdul Aziz
    el-Hakim in the Shi'ites' holy city of Najaf, Talabani said
    there was no disagreement between Sistani and the council
    on the proposed handover, without elaborating on whether or
    how he had mollified Sistani.

    "I believe his eminence Grand Ayatollah Sistani is an
    open minded man and he appreciates the Iraqi situation,"
    Jalal Talabani said.

    The approval by Sistani, who is reported to believe the
    plan pays insufficient heed to Islam and gives Iraqis too
    little say, is crucial for winning widespread backing for
    the U.S. timetable from Iraqi Shi'ites, who make up 60
    percent of the population.

    The plan foresees indirect elections of a body that
    would pick a transitional government and oversee the
    writing of a constitution.

    Sistani seldom makes political pronouncements but ruled
    in June that the constitution's architects must be elected.

    He neither endorses nor openly opposes Iraq's U.S.

    occupiers, in contrast to more radical Shiite clerics who
    have come out against the Americans.

    He voiced his opinion on the latest U.S. plan through
    the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq
    (SCIRI), a Shiite group that has co-operated with
    Washington's administration of Iraq after returning from
    exile in Iran.

    Facing mounting troop casualties, Washington unveiled
    details of a new political plan this month to transfer
    sovereignty to Iraqis faster than previously envisaged.

    Under the terms of the plan agreed with the Governing
    Council last month, regional caucuses will select a
    national assembly by the end of May, and this will pick a
    transitional government by the end of June.

    The government would take over sovereignty from
    occupying powers in July, and a constitution would be
    written and democratic elections held by the end of 2005.






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