Iraqi delegates in business suits and clerics’ robes gathered today in Baghdad behind a wall of US tanks to work on forming a government to replace Saddam Hussein.

The “governmental process” in Iraq will be up and running by the end of next week and all ministries will have Iraqi officials at the helm as soon as possible, the retired American general in charge of rebuilding the country said today.

The retired American general in charge of rebuilding post-war Iraq held an open meeting today to tell Baghdad residents about his efforts to bring stability to their country.

THE United States does not recognise a former exile who says he is governor of Baghdad and Washington thinks his deputy cannot represent Iraq at an emergency OPEC meeting this week, a senior US official said yesterday.