Tareq Aziz surrenders to US forces; Rumsfeld warns Iran
Iraq-USA, Politics, 4/25/2003

The US occupation forces yesterday announced that the former Iraqi deputy premier Tareq Aziz, who for three decades was one of the most prominent faces of the Iraqi regime and one of the most important negotiators abroad, was arrested in a step coincided with the announcement by the US to expand the list of wanted Iraqis from 55 members to include 200.

Meantime, the US escalated pressures against Iran and announced yesterday that its forces started patrols along the Iraqi borders and this was to prevent incursion operations from the Iranian territories, noting that it will not accept a government in Baghdad similar to that in Iran. A matter which was answered by the Iranian government by a warning to the occupation soldiers against crossing "the red line," representing the border with Iraq, noting Iran has the intention to defend itself.

Tehran denied Washington's accusations against it of interfering in Iraqi affairs and its efforts to strengthen the political role of the Iraqi Shiite.

Iran stressed that the US "occupied Iraq and now accuses its neighbors of interfering in its internal affairs," denouncing Washington's agreement with the opposition Mujahidee Khalq group to continue attacks against Iran.

On the other hand, the US central command yesterday announced that Tareq Aziz fell in the hands of the American forces, but without providing further details.

A high ranking American official said earlier that Aziz had surrendered himself to the Americans and thereby the number of surrendered Iraqi officials Iraqis increased to 12.

Aziz was the most popular figure in the former regime of Saddam Hussein as he used to travel frequently. The last mission he carried out was on February 14 just few weeks before the beginning of the war when he met with Pope John Paul II in the Vatican and delivered him a message from Saddam Hussein and he often visited the UN. Aziz occupies number 43 in the list of the Iraqi figures the American forces are searching for.

The US defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld said yesterday that the Iraqis will be free to form their government as long as it will not be similar to that in Iran.

He added in a press statement the US will not allow a government similar to that in Iran, a theocracy, in which few religious people run the government.

Rumsfeld renewed his warning to both Iran and Syria against interference in Iraq. He said that the Iraqi people, with the passing of time, will not want an effect from Iran in his country.

He added that the American and British forces in Iraq are searching for more former members of the Saddam Hussein regime in addition to 55 figures announced one week earlier. He explained the US has a list that includes 200 names.

The chairman of the American civil administration, the retired Gen. Jay Garner announced earlier on Thursday that the process of forming a government in Iraq will start with the fall of next week and even members of the Baath party will not be excluded from it, except associates to Saddam Hussein and those who committed human rights violations.

Garner explained that this government "will include Iraqi faces and will be governed by Iraqis." He also asserted that the leading figure at the Iraqi National Congress Ahmad al- Jalabi, does not represent Washington's choice for leading Iraq. However, his assistant Nim Cross stressed that Jalabi is a man who might play a role in future in Iraq ."

Garner also stressed that the US does not recognize Muhammad Mohsin al-Zubeidi as a chairman for the municipality of Baghdad and he will be removed if the Iraqis refuse him.

Previous Stories:
  Iraqis: No to US occupation; marines killed in bomb explosion   (4/24/2003)
  White House says democracy, freedom and tolerance are priority in Iraq   (4/23/2003)
  White House says coalition, not U.N., responsible for inspections   (4/23/2003)
  Shiite figures ban dealing with occupation; clashes around Basra; Baghdad's battle starts with a massacre   (4/4/2003)
  Tareq Aziz and Germany   (2/18/2003)
  Aziz meeting the Pope: Washington seeks to redraw regional map   (2/15/2003)

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