A nod of approval [Archives:2004/744/Front Page]

By Peter Willems
The Yemeni government has approved Iraq's new transitional government, which replaced the Governing Council last week.
“Yemen welcomes this step and hopes that the Iraqi people will approve it to stop the violence, end occupation, and restore peace, security and stability,” said a government official in a statement published by Yemeni News Agency Saba last Thursday.
Sheikh Ghazi Al-Yawar, a Sunni Muslim, was chosen as the President, while 33 ministers were appointed based on the religious and ethnic division of Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds in Iraq. Iyad Allawi, a US-backed former Baathist dissident, was named the Prime Minister before the new government was formed last Tuesday.
“I think that this new Iraqi government is very important,” one Yemeni government official told Yemen Times. “I believe that this will give a lot of hope to the Iraqi people so that they will get a new life in the future.”
The day the new government was announced, violence erupted near the place where the ceremony was held in Baghdad, which furthered doubts over how security could be established in the unstable country. Insurgents launched mortar fire and car bombs killed up to 14 people, and dozens were wounded.
New Iraqi government officials have said that American troops, numbering over 100,000, would need to stay in Iraq to help curb attacks and stabilize the country. The revised United Nations Security Council resolution presented during the inauguration of the new government said that the coalition forces would remain in Iraq until the end of 2005 or early 2006.
“Like any country, we don't want to continue to be under occupation,” said Allawi. “But at the same time, we need the support of the multinational forces to defeat the enemies of Iraq.”
The new government, however, has requested that it must be consulted about military operations conducted by coalition troops.
According to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, the new government “needs to be consulted and its views need to be taken into consideration,” when there are significant military offenses that could have serious political and security repercussions.
It is scheduled that the United States will formally hand over sovereignty to Iraq on June 30. The transitional government will be in place until national elections are held in January next year.
“It looks like there is no better alternative at this time,” said the Yemeni government official. “It appears that the new Iraqi government is professional and will be able to prepare for the elections.”
Negotiations went on for weeks before there was an agreement on putting together the new government. It is said that the deadlock was broken when Adnan Pachachi, former Foreign Minister and accused of being favored by the United States, turned down the job of President.
But some Iraqi officials have already argued that the new government is a US creation.
“I think the Iraqi people will reject an appointed government,” said Turkman Governing Council member, Shanghul Shapuk. “The Americans dictated the way.”
Some Iraqis living in Yemen share the same position.
“The government is just another tool the United States has made, and it will use it to control my country,” said an Iraqi engineer in Sana'a. “It is just another puppet government, and I think the US soldiers will stay for a very long time.”
But some Iraqis in Yemen feel optimistic.
“We have to give the government time in order to create stability,” said Erfan Al-Shammari, an Iraqi doctor at Hadda Hospital. “The most important thing in Iraq now is security. If they can do it, it is a good government.”
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