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Bush Signals Support for U.N. Iraq Plan

Posted on: Friday, 16 April 2004, 06:00 CDT

WASHINGTON - President Bush signaled support Friday for an interim government to take power in Iraq on June 30, saying the plan under development by a U.N. envoy is "broadly acceptable to the Iraqi people."

The authority of the coalition backed by the United States will expire on the June 30 deadline previously set, Bush said at a news conference with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, adding that "coalition forces will remain in Iraq to help the new government succeed."

Turning his attention to a second contentious foreign policy issue, the president called on Palestinian leaders to "rise to the challenge" of accepting permanent Israeli possession of certain portions of the West Bank seized in the 1967 Mideast war.

"It gives all sides a chance to reinvigorate" the peace process, said Bush, who signed off earlier this week on a fundamental shift in American policy in response to a request from Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Bush made his comments at a news conference in the sun-splashed White House Rose Garden, standing shoulder by shoulder once more with Blair, his principal ally in the effort to topple Saddam Hussein and restore democracy in Iraq.

"It was never going to be easy and it isn't now" in Iraq, said Blair, who echoed Bush's comments - and also his resolve.

"We will not waver in the face of fear and intimidation," said the president.

It was the fifth time in less than a week that Bush has met with reporters - a period marked by increased American casualties in Iraq as well as a rash of hostage-taking by militants loyal to Muqtada al-Sadr.

He opened by saying the June 30 deadline for a turnover of political power was firm, and expressing support for the work of United Nations diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi.

"No citizen of America or Britain would want their government in the hands of others and neither do the Iraqis and this is why the June 30th date for the transfer of sovereignty will be kept," he said.

Bush added that the turnover will show Iraqis the United States has "no interest in occupation. On that date the Coalition Provisional Authority will cease to exist. But coalition forces will remain in Iraq to help the new government succeed."

Bush said Brahimi has "identified a way forward to establishing an interim government that is broadly acceptable to the Iraqi people. Our coalition will continue to work with the United Nations to prepare for nationwide elections that will choose a new government in January of 2005."

The president expressed gratitude that Brahimi "will soon return to Iraq and continue his important work."

As for the Middle East, Bush said that his embrace of Sharon's proposal for Israel to withdraw from all of Gaza but retain parts of the West Bank, where thousands of Israeli settlers live, marks an opportunity for a final agreement leading to a Palestinian state.

Blair said the same, adding, "Let's not look this particular opportunity in the eye and then turn away." He added there was now an agreement "that a Palestinian state should be viable."

Bush said earlier this week at a news conference that he would like to get a new U.N. resolution "that will help other nations to decide to participate" in Iraq. U.N. Security Council members want to wait to hear from Brahimi before acting on a new resolution.

The United States has about 130,000 troops in Iraq, followed by Britain's 12,000.

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