New rotating president calls for better security and an end to corruption

Security is still the biggest problem facing Iraq, the country’s newly named president, Jalal Talabani, said Wednesday, even as the appointed government struggles to create a new constitution for the country. Talabani is the newest rotating president of the Iraq Governing Council, a temporary government of more than 20 leaders from around the country set up by US-led administrators. He took office on 1 November. Talabani is the first president from northern Iraq, which has considered itself largely separate from the rest of the country during the last 12 years of sanctions. "Security is the most important issue facing us," Talabani said at a press conference on Wednesday to announce his new leadership. "But we must also build a democratic, parliamentary, independent Iraq to regain our independence and sovereignty as soon as possible." Leaders are discussing a security plan they say will stop the continuous attacks on coalition forces, on police and the like. Talabani declined to give details of the plan, saying only that "the people who work for us will remain well-trained". Security in Iraq must be established by Iraqi security forces, Talabani added. "The Ministry of the Interior has a complete plan," Talabani said. "We’re waiting now for acceptance and coordination and cooperation with the CPA [Coalition Provisional Authority]." That cooperation may be a long time in coming if comments from Walter Slocombe, Washington's adviser to the interior ministry, are any indication. Slocombe and other administrators want to make sure that various political parties in Iraq do not try to reconstitute the former army. "In the proposed creation of security elements, what are the conditions for them to return?" Slocombe said on Wednesday in an impromptu briefing for reporters. "We can’t have armed forces under the control of political forces." Part of the problem with writing a constitution quickly was getting it accepted by the various religious and ethnic groups, Talabani said. US officials in recent weeks have pushed Iraqi leaders to come up with a constitution within six months so that some sort of national election can be held soon after. "A constitution is very important for the future, so it must be acceptable to all the 'nations' of Iraq. We have many 'nations' and many religions, and for that [reason] we need a united Iraq," Talabani said. "We need to have a constitution that represents all Iraqis." Queues at fuel stations around the country were just one of the signs that corruption was still rampant, Talabani said. Seemingly artificial fuel shortages are angering customers. They sit in queues for hours waiting to fill their tanks. "As you know, Iraq has people in the black market," Talabani said. "The former corrupt regime cannot be repaired in one day." During his term, Talabani said he will also focus on trade issues, especially getting investors from neighbouring countries into Iraq. Iraq’s trade minister, Ali Allawi, said on Thursday that investors would not come to the country for so long as it was unstable. Regional players in Turkey, Iran and Syria were more willing to come to Iraq, the minister added. Talabani is the third rotating president in Iraq since US-led forces toppled the former regime in April. Ahmed Chalabi, a former exile who appears to be favoured by the Pentagon, was the first president. He was followed by Iyat Allawi, head of the Iraq National Accord, a party comprising up of former military and security officials in Iraq.