Bush appoints a new ambassador to the Iraqi opposition

A statement by the White House on Monday said that the US President George Bush appointed Zalmai Khalil Zaad as an ambassador for the Iraqi opposition.

The statement said that Khalil Zaad will be the point for liaison and coordination by the American government with the Iraqi opposition and to prepare for future Iraq.

The statement explained that Khalil Zaad will continue his post as a special delegate for the US President to Afghanistan, but he will give up his mission as a special assistant for the American presidency for Southern West Asia, the Middle east and North Africa affairs at the American national security council.

Meantime, the Iraqi opposition in Washington started on Monday a work meeting under the auspices of the US Department of State that will last for two days in the framework of a program of meetings that have been organized since several months in order to discuss the question of the future of Iraq after changing the current Iraqi authority.

The US Department of State explained that the meeting is attended by some 25 to 30 Iraqi opposition numbers and that the aim of the program of the meetings is to qualify figures capable of running Iraq in future.