Iraq names new president

Iraqi Governing Council President Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer was named Iraq’s new president today – but only after former foreign minister Adnan Pachachi turned down the job.

Council member Nasser Kamel al-Chaderchi said al-Yawer accepted the post in a move to break the deadlock over selection of a new government to take power on June 30.

The Americans had favoured Pachachi, 81, while most of the Governing Council backed al-Yawer.

A formal announcement was expected from Baghdad within hours.

The confusing scenario unfolded after council members angrily accused the American governor of Iraq Paul Bremer, of trying to strongarm the choice of Pachachi for the largely ceremonial post.

Earlier today, council members said they expected a third name to be put forward. Some sources close to the deliberations suggested the choice could be Saad al-Janabi, who was close to Saddam Hussein until he fled to Kuwait and the United States in the 1990s.

Last Friday, the most powerful post, the prime ministership, went to Iyad Allawi, a US-backed Shiite Muslim with military and CIA connections.

UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi had hoped to complete the selection of the 26-member Cabinet by yesterday.

However, a Governing Council session that was to have chosen a president was postponed until today, with sharp differences remaining between the council and the coalition over the head of state job.