• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

BBC Monitoring Headlines, Quotes From Iraqi Press 24 Dec 05

Posted on: Saturday, 24 December 2005, 09:00 CST

The following is a selection of headlines and quotes from the Iraqi press published on 24 Dec:

Headlines

Al-Sharq al-Awsat [Baghdad edition of London-based independent daily newspaper, Saudi-owned]: Talabani begins series of meetings to reconcile diverse viewpoints as [election commission chief Hussayn] Al-Hindawi admits to Allawi's list being victimized by violations ... Sunni leader threatens: Give us back our election rights or face civil war ... Rumsfeld: No intention to set up permanent bases in Iraq [agencies quoted] ... Suicide bomber blows himself up amid praying worshippers, gunmen kill eight Iraqi soldiers, Ansar al- Sunnah group leaders captured in Mosul ... Six Sudanese, including diplomat, abducted in Baghdad ... Having made oil discovery in Kurdistan, Norwegian firm expects one-billion-barrel production, as conglomerate demands Baghdad honour deal with Kurdish authorities [Reuters quoted]

Al-Mada [Baghdad, independent daily newspaper published by Al- Mada Corporation for Media, Culture and Art]: [Election] Results rejected by emergent Maram group amid verbal tug-of-war ... Medical source warns of health calamity looming in Al-Sadr City [NINA quoted] ... Rumsfeld in Al-Fallujah: Washington to pull two brigades out of Iraq [agencies quoted] ... Ten Iraqi soldiers killed in Al- Uthaym area [NINA quoted] ... Iraqi-Iranian agreement on regulating traffic of trucks across the border

Al-Zaman [Baghdad edition of London-based independent daily newspaper]: Demonstrations in Baghdad, Mosul, Samarra, Tikrit demanding election re-run, with security deterioration signalling imminent political crisis in Iraq, as Al-Hakim opposes drive initiated by Allawi-led front to have [election] commission replaced, militias disbanded, voting re-run, with Talabani supportive of international investigation [into election irregularities] ... Albu Amir tribal chief gunned down by unidentified elements ... Mosul Students' Union head kidnapped ... Wave of violence in Al-Dawrah claims six civilians, 10 policemen ... Ayyar, Al-Husayni, Al-Muhammadi resign from election commission ... Oil [Ministry] source: Another price hike foreseen in coming months ... In Baghdad, Al-Sadr supporters stage demonstration demanding release of detainees

Baghdad [Baghdad, political daily newspaper published by the Iraqi National Accord Movement]: Front formed in rejection of election fraud threatens to boycott parliament ... World community called upon to assume role towards finding settlement to situation in Iraq ... Maram comes up with code of honour to reject rigged election ... Agricultural expert warns against continual rise in fuel prices

Al-Mu'tamar [Baghdad, comprehensive daily newspaper published by the Iraqi National Congress]: US State Department: No serious complaints filed against elections [agencies quoted] ... International investigation teams to scrutinize authenticity of complaints [agencies quoted] ... In response to invitation by Polish premier, Dr Chalabi heads official delegation on visit to Poland ... International official sees no compelling reason for re-running elections [Reuters quoted] ... Iraq stands to lose a billion dollars a year for depending on neighbouring countries' ports [agencies quoted]

Al-Adalah [Baghdad, general political daily newspaper published by the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq]: President Talabani rejects objections to electoral results ... Sayyid Al-Hakim says [United Iraqi] Alliance's strength lies in its solid stances, its representation of majority's will ... Iraq, France agree on tackling Iraqi debt issue, as Slovakia agrees to write off 80 per cent of Iraq's debt [AFP quoted] ... Twelve killed, injured in terrorist act targeting Shi'i mosque in Diyalah province ... [MP Abbas] Al-Bayati says release of former regime figureheads breach of law [NINA quoted]

Al-Ittihad [Baghdad, political daily newspaper published by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan]: Kurdish-US mediation to help Iraqi parties reach consensus ... Receiving US defence secretary, president says: With US backing, we have initiated meetings with political figures with a view to narrowing differences, bringing political forces together ... [Minister of Planning] Dr Barham Ahmad Salih: The Kurdistan Alliance will a unifying factor in pursuit of national unity based on inclusiveness ... Terrorist act behind water supply disruption in Al-Karkh [agencies quoted] ... Al-Hakim rejects Maram's demand for repeat elections, with Al-Ja'fari refusing to yield to demonstrators' call [agencies quoted]

Quotes

Al-Sharq al-Awsat [From commentary by Adnan Hussayn]: "By seeking to kill the foetus of democracy while still in the womb, the United Iraqi Alliance has committed an unpardonable sin that will never help it to ascend to power, or to maintain power if it does ever attain it, for it will have done so by crook, just as Saddam did. Unfortunately, the Alliance does not seem to have learnt its Saddam lesson."

Al-Mada [From editorial]: "The forces that have interfered in the last elections, attempting to have the outcome doctored in their favour, whether by fraud, intimidation or the use of religious symbols to influence people's views, have given yet another proof of their anaemic political awareness, crude civic convictions and callous disrespect for the intelligence of both their supporters, as well as their rivals. These forces and those among their counterparts that have responded by rushing to unleash a barrage of fiery threats are but the two sides of one coin."

Al-Zaman [From commentary by Fatih Abd al-Salam]: "Wielding its presumed 'independence' as a shield, the Independent Higher Commission for Elections in Iraq must have deemed it unnecessary to scan the armies of workers it has entrusted with the hefty task of running ballot stations nationwide despite the fact that the bulk of these workers are actually affiliated to no more than four or five of the 300 political entities competing in the elections."

Sources: as listed

Source: BBC Monitoring Newsfile

More News in this Category