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Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/
Thursday, April 17, 2003

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BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Mohammed Mohsen Zubaidi, an official in Ahmad Chalabi's Iraqi National Congress party, said on Thursday he had been chosen to head an interim council to run Baghdad in the wake of the collapse of Saddam Hussein's rule.

Speaking through an interpreter to reporters in the Iraqi capital, Zubaidi said he had been elected vizier, or chief, of a Baghdad executive council by people representing clerics, academics, Muslim Shi'ites and Sunnis, Christians and writers.

U.S. officials could not be reached for comment.

Iraq's disparate former opposition groups are jockeyeing for position to fill a power vacuum after U.S.-led forces toppled Saddam's 24-year rule.

Zubaidi said he had no plans to stand as Iraq's president.

He said he sought only to serve the Iraqi people and help restore order and public services in the capital which has been plagued by an orgy of looting and lawlessness since U.S. troops seized the city last Wednesday.

He said he was in close contact with the U.S. military, adding he thought U.S. troops would only leave Iraq once they were sure Iraqis could rule themselves.

"We are in dire need of the U.S. government in order to restore peace and order in Baghdad and help the people of Iraq," Zubaidi said. "We think the United States of America respects the right of people to rule themselves.

"We think U.S. troops will leave Iraq as soon as they think the Iraqis can rule themselves."

He added that his council, in cooperation with the U.S. military, was working to switch power back on, resume supplies of fuel and cooking gas, and set up a Baghdad radio station.

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Direct Link:
--http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=2582757

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