Tariq Aziz Surrenders, New Iraq Govt Talks Next Week

25/04/2003| IslamWeb

The United States said Iraq's former Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz, the internationally best-known face of Saddam Hussein's toppled inner circle, has surrendered to U.S. forces and the business of setting up a new Iraqi government in Baghdad will start next week. Aziz, No. 43 on a U.S. list of 55 most-wanted members of Saddam's ruling elite, gave himself up to U.S. troops in Baghdad. He last appeared in public on March 19, the eve of the war, after rumors that he had been shot or had defected.

"He turned himself in," a U.S. official, said on condition of anonymity. "He was a major regime figure for a long, long time. He was the public face of the regime for a long time. He was close to Saddam for many years."

The silver-haired, cigar-smoking Aziz, 67, made full use of his excellent English to play a starring diplomatic role in the run-up to the 1991 Gulf War when he was foreign minister.

President Bush responded to shouted questions about Aziz's fate with a smile and a thumbs up sign.

Aziz, who had vowed to die in a long and bloody battle with the United States on the eve of the war, became the 12th of the 55 individuals on a U.S. wanted list to be taken into custody, defense officials said. Three others are believed dead.

Earlier, the U.S. administrator in Iraq said the formation of a new Iraqi government would start next week.

Speaking after talks with some of Iraq's prospective new leaders, retired U.S. general Jay Garner told a Baghdad news conference: "I think you'll begin to see the governmental process start next week, by the end of next week. It will have Iraqi faces on it. It will be governed by the Iraqis."

Bush underlined this commitment saying Washington was not about to impose a new government but instead would help build a democratic government "of, by and for the Iraqi people."

"We'll stay as long as it takes to complete our mission. And then all our forces are going to leave Iraq and come home," Bush said in a speech in Lima, Ohio, at a plant that manufactured many of the Abrams battle tanks used in Iraq.

PHOTO CAPTION

The United States said April 24, 2003 Iraq's former Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz, the internationally best-known face of Saddam Hussein's toppled inner circle, has surrendered to U.S. forces. (Suhaib Salem/Reuters)