MEDIA REACTION ON TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY TO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 005385 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN USAID/ANE/MEA LONDON FOR GOLDRICH PARIS FOR O'FRIEL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR JO SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY TO IRAQIS Summary -- Lead story in all papers today, June 30, highlights the decision to hand over Saddam Hussein and other members of the former Iraqi regime to the new government for trial. Another lead story highlights King Abdullah's instructions to the government to undertake measures to facilitate the movement of Iraqis from and to Jordan. Editorial Commentary -- "Sovereignty on paper" Daily columnist Yaser Za'atreh writes on the op-ed page of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al- Dustour (06/30): "It is evident that the ceremony of the transfer of sovereignty and authority to the Iraqis was part and parcel of America's participation in the NATO summit meeting. Actually, the entire Iraq- related game seems to be closely and directly linked to the U.S. elections. As far as the transfer of sovereignty, we, in fact, did not see anything more than the protocol exchange of papers between Bremer and Alawi, while Saddam Hussein was added to the process to give the impression that the handover was substantive. Apart from the contract between the `sovereign' Iraqi government and the Americans to keep their forces in Iraq under the name of American-led multi-national forces - that does not change the reality of the occupation - questions related to the transfer of sovereignty are focused on two issues. The first is security and the second is the issue of the Iraqis' daily life. The transfer of the security issue to Alawi's government did not come about as a result of the transfer of sovereignty, but rather because of Bush's desperate need to get out of the dilemma of American soldiers being killed on a daily basis in Iraq - something that is being used by his opponent in the elections.. As for issues related to the Iraqis' daily life, let us not forget the hordes of American consultants who will be working in Iraqi ministries and who will have a hand in all decisions related to public administration and finances. Where else would all these contracts that the American forces arranged for its corporate companies go? Will Alawi's government have the right to question or change these contracts? With regard to other issues related to game of the sovereignty transfer, such as the establishment of a consultative council and a constitution, all this will take place according to a well-studied scheme whose objective is to maintain the parties cooperating with the occupation in the scene and stop any other powers who might contemplate kicking out or even asking the occupation or to leave." -- "Sam Chalabi to try Saddam" Chief editor Taher Udwan writes on the back-page of independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm (06/30): "Talk of the trial of the Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and members of his regime in an Iraqi court run by Salem Chalabi reminds us of trials that used to take place after military coups in Baghdad in the sixties and the seventies, where a non-elected and illegitimate regime would take hold of the law and the authority and claim it as justice and national interest. Clearly, for the new rulers of Baghdad, Saddam's trial is a matter designed to bring popularity leading to legitimacy.. The new Iraqi government wants to conduct Saddam's trial in haste, because it has to take the country from occupation into independence and sovereignty, since law and justice cannot be placed in the hands of occupying forces, even if their name changes to multi-national forces. The other dark side of Saddam's trial is that Salem Chalabi is to supervise the trial. This in itself is an insult to Iraq and Iraqis. Chalabi worked as a legal advisor for the occupation authority and for the former and current Iraqi government. He is known as Sam Chalabi and is the nephew of Ahmad Chalabi. Sam is an extreme oppositionist who served the CIA and who placed the so-called document for the transfer to democracy, which focused on ridding Iraq of its Arabism, establishing relations with Israel and eliminating Iraq's unity with what is called a federation.. If such people are the ones who are going try Saddam and leaders of the former regime, then who will be in charge of the trial: Iraq or Israel?" GNEHM