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BBC Monitoring Headlines, Quotes From Iraqi Press 13 Mar 06

Posted on: Monday, 13 March 2006, 06:00 CST

The following is a selection of headlines and quotes taken from the Iraqi press published on 13 Mar:

Headlines

Al-Zaman [Baghdad edition of London-based independent daily newspaper]: Accordance Front hands [United Iraqi] Alliance working paper concerning government, constitution: proposal envisions formation of independent body to review state institutions \ Trial resumes, with lawyers attending, Saddam absent \ 189 detained in Baghdad, three other provinces, as Interior Ministry Commandos trace car bomb in Samarra' \ Members on new Council of Representatives tell 'Al-Zaman': Iran supporting armed groups more desperately than any other neighbouring country \ British Minister of State for Foreign Affairs wrongs US rightists, says Iraq will not slide into civil war

Al-Sabah al-Jadid [Baghdad, independent political daily newspaper]: Supreme Religious Authority (Marji'iyah) appeals to all political factions to spare Iraq further suffering, instability \ Following talks with Talabani on preparations for event of Imam Al- Hussain's Fortieth-Post-Mortem-Day pilgrimage, Al-Ja'fari denies crisis exists, says he respects what Alliance decides (NINA quoted) \ At joint press conference, Defence, Interior Ministers announce inauguration of highly advanced operation room equipped with satellite-aided monitoring facilities \ Finance Ministry authorizing provincial councils to conclude contracts, oversee reconstruction spending

Al-Sharq al-Awsat [Baghdad edition of London-based independent daily newspaper, Saudi-owned]: With parliament due to open Thursday, bloc leaders intensify meetings, as Talabani expresses relief at outcome of meetings held with Al-Hakim, Al-Dulaimi, Barzani \ Interior Minister: Samarra' bombing executed by twenty-strong team taking ten hours to plant 215 kg of explosives \ Over fifty slain as Baghdad rocked by series of bombings \ Saying their mission is to kill Iraqis, British soldier defects in protest of US troops' conduct (AFP quoted) \ Bird flu: Quarantine on Iraqi province of Maysan lifted (AFP quoted)

Al-Dustur [Baghdad, independent daily newspaper]: Interior, Defence Ministries sign cooperation pact enabling them to work as one security team \ [SCIRI chairman, Abd al-Aziz] Al-Hakim underscores importance of exerting more effort to counter terrorism (Voices of Iraq quoted) \ Death squad inquiry findings to be publicized today (agencies quoted) \ Ministry of Transport invites private security firms to submit tenders for contracts to provide protection for Iraqi airports (agencies quoted ) \ Al-Rafidain Bank offering loans to government employees wishing to start own families (agencies quoted)

Al-Mada [Baghdad, independent daily newspaper published by Al- Mada Corporation for Media, Culture and Art]: Following visit to President, Al-Ja'fari says: Our views converged, my PM nomination not brought up for discussion \ At 15th session of Saddam's trial, co-defendants Rwaiyid, Dayih question authenticity of written testimonies, deny partaking in executions \ Interior, Defence sign security document to rein in random detentions \ Highwaymen active again at Muhammadiyat, on highway leading to Amman

Al-Mu'tamar [Baghdad, comprehensive daily newspaper published by the Iraqi National Congress]: New substantive evidence incriminating Saddam, henchmen \ [UIA member, parliamentarian Sheikh Jalal] Al- Saghier says Alliance is the bloc basically concerned with working out outlet from current impasse (NINA quoted) \ Investigative commission's report absolving Interior, Defence, implicating 'infiltrators' [in death squad scandal] (Al-Hayat quoted) \ With tests verifying single bird flu case, Iraq recorded as only country were disease detected in humans before being discovered in birds \ Khalilzad: Government [make-up], foreign presence [on Iraqi soil] tackled in US talks with 'resistance' (agencies quoted)

Al-Mashriq [Baghdad, independent international daily newspaper]: [Interior Minister] Al-Zubaidi announces security plan to raid hot spots in Baghdad, as [Defence Minister] Al-Dulaimi affirms mechanism devised to detain individuals implicated in leaking intelligence to gunmen \ Saddam feared own army even as US invasion was underway (Reuters quoted) \ Eighteen killed in disparate acts of violence in Baghdad and to the north as car bomb blasts in Sadr City, Alawie, Jamielah Baghdad neighbourhoods come under mortar fire \ US ambassador: We neither wish to stay nor intend to set up permanent bases in Iraq

Quotes

Al-Zaman [From commentary by Fatih Abd al-Salam]: "What have we come to that has made us far worse off than any other people on earth? And who is it that has brought us to this? Who is it that is making us ever more nostalgic even for the worst of the bad old days? And who, may I ask, among all these feuding, narrow-minded politicians of ours can give us the Iraq we have always dreamt of serene, stable and, above all, free from sectarianism?"

Al-Sabah al-Jadid [From editorial]: "If you are positioned well enough to see things as they truly are, and unprejudiced enough not to take the statements you hear out of their original contexts, you are apt to conclude that all parties concerned are in fact doing their best to forge a new government as soon as possible; that this delay we are all impatient with is basically due to a genuine wish to have some of the thorniest outstanding issues reasonably sorted out before being submitted to the next parliament, whose job will not be easy at all, considering the daunting amount of problems it will have to tackle."

Sources: as listed

Source: BBC Monitoring Newsfile

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