Blair and Bush hail Iraq handover
British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George Bush today hailed the birth of a new Iraq after the early transfer of power to Baghdad.
Mr Bush said the world had witnessed “the arrival of a free, sovereign Iraqi government”.
He said that after “decades of brutal rule” the Iraqi people “have their country back”.
The President went on: “This is a day of great hope for Iraq”.
Mr Blair, speaking alongside Mr Bush at the Nato summit in Istanbul, told reporters: “Today’s obviously an important staging post on the journey of the people of Iraq towards a new future – one in which democracy replaces dictatorship, where freedom replaces oppression and in which all the people of Iraq can look forward to the possibility and the hope of an Iraq that genuinely unites, a future for people from whatever part of Iraq they come.”
Sovereignty was transferred to Baghdad early this morning, two days ahead of schedule.
At 10.26am Baghdad time the White House said Mr Blair and Mr Bush looked at their watches, which they had synchronised and nodded at each other to acknowledge the handover of power.
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