久久亚洲国产成人影院-久久亚洲国产的中文-久久亚洲国产高清-久久亚洲国产精品-亚洲图片偷拍自拍-亚洲图色视频

  Home>News Center>World
         
 

Bush adamant on Iraq election schedule
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-12-02 00:01

WASHINGTON - President Bush said Thursday that Iraq's elections must not be delayed from their scheduled date of Jan. 30, rejecting calls from more than a dozen political parties there to postpone them until security at the polls can be ensured.

"It's time for Iraqi citizens to go to the polls," Bush told reporters in the Oval Office.

Bush also weighed in on the matter of the election crisis in Ukraine, saying more forcefully than he had previously that other countries must not meddle as that country sorts through the disputed vote.

If there is to be a new election, as many government leaders and Ukrainian demonstrators have demanded, it "ought to be free from any foreign influence," Bush said.

He did not single out any country, but his words seemed to echo those of Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin, with whom Bush met this week and who explicitly said Russia must not meddle in the Ukrainian matter.

Bush steered gingerly around allegations of corruption in the United Nations' oil-for-food program in Iraq, which first surfaced in January. The charges have escalated. Two weeks ago, a congressional investigation uncovered evidence that Saddam Hussein's government raised more than $21.3 billion in illegal revenue by subverting U.N. sanctions against Iraq, including the oil-for-food program.

Bush did not answer two questions about whether Annan should resign, as Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., has urged. But he said a thorough investigation was necessary to ensure that U.S. taxpayers can "feel comfortable" as their government pays U.N. dues.

"I look forward to a full disclosure of the facts, a good, honest appraisal of that which went on and it's important for the integrity of the organization," he said.

Bush said last week he hoped the elections scheduled for next month in Iraq are not postponed, after 17 political parties in Iraq called on the interim government to put them off for at least six months. Those groups want security at polling places to be ensured.

Thursday, he was more forceful in his remarks on the matter.

"The elections should not be postponed," he said. "It's time for the Iraqi citizens to go to the polls and that's why we are very firm on the Jan. 30 date."

Bush said he had personally approved an expansion of U.S. troop levels in Iraq ahead of the elections. His commanders there had asked for more boots on the ground, and "I've honored their request," he said.

Bush predicted that Iraq's elections would leave the world "amazed that a society has been transformed so quickly."

Bush was more pointed in his comments on the Ukraine, where a disputed runoff election last month sparked massive protests that have paralyzed the government.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday warned that Ukraine's problem must be solved without foreign pressure. While it was delivered in a phone call with the German chancellor, Putin's message appeared aimed more at the United States, seen by the Kremlin as behind a campaign to install Ukraine's pro-Western opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko at Ukraine's helm.

On Thursday, Putin sharply criticized the Ukrainian opposition's proposal to hold a repeat of the nation's disputed presidential runoff, telling Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma that a new vote "would yield nothing."

Meeting with Kuchma at a government airport outside Moscow, Putin said he was "surprised" by the idea of repeating the runoff, which Ukraine's opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko is demanding.

Bush has largely confined his comments previously to assertions that the will of the Ukrainian people must prevail, and has said the United States is watching the situation closely.

He was more pointed Thursday about the prospect of a new vote in the Ukraine.

"I think any election, if there is one, ought to be free from any foreign influence," Bush said.

Yet a moment later, he thanked the leaders of Poland and Lithuania and the European Union for their involvement in helping to defuse the situation.

"There's different options on the table and we're watching very carefully what is taking place," Bush said. "But any election in any country must reflect the will of the people and not that of any foreign government."



 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

Banks show improvement in capital strength

 

   
 

Prudent course charted for 2005 deckhead

 

   
 

All 166 trapped miners confirmed dead

 

   
 

Male homosexuals estimated up to 12.5m

 

   
 

Skyworth scandal ignites stocks sell-off

 

   
 

Hot car sales in China cool down

 

   
  US sends more troops to Iraq for elections
   
  AIDS Day is observed around the globe
   
  New Ukraine election looks likely way out of crisis
   
  UN rejects call for Annan's resignation
   
  Annan getting support at UN, White House cautious
   
  Israel's Sharon fires ministers, shatters coalition
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
China, Iraq to strengthen energy cooperation
   
UN rejects call for Annan's resignation
   
Annan getting support at UN, White House cautious
   
Britain: Body isn't kidnapped aid worker
   
US sends more troops to Iraq for elections
   
UN election chief: Iraqi vote on track
   
Allawi to promote Iraq election in Jordan
  News Talk  
  Are the Republicans exploiting the memory of 9/11?  
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 国产精品成人在线播放 | 69交性视频| 免费国产成人高清无线看软件 | 97超级碰碰碰免费公开在线观看 | 国产超薄肉色丝袜足j | 97国产在线观看 | 美女做爰视频在线观看免费 | 一区二区在线欧美日韩中文 | 毛片在线视频观看 | 精品国产中文一级毛片在线看 | 国产成人精品日本亚洲网站 | 日韩永久在线观看免费视频 | 欧美一区三区 | 成人网久久 | 欧美成视频无需播放器 | 久操视频免费在线观看 | 成人午夜两性视频免费看 | 国产成人丝袜网站在线看 | 国产成人精品天堂 | 国产成人综合亚洲一区 | 日韩中文字幕精品一区在线 | 中文国产成人精品少久久 | 国产一级在线观看视频 | 国产一级一片 | 爽爽窝窝午夜精品一区二区 | 一区二区不卡视频在线观看 | 一级毛片无毒不卡直接观看 | 国产乱理片在线观看夜 | 手机看片精品高清国产日韩 | 国产在线观看xxxx免费 | 一级做a爱过程免费视 | 91原创视频在线观看 | 久久99国产乱子伦精品免费 | 国产激爽大片在线播放 | 欧美在线视频一区二区 | 男人女人做性全程视视频 | 欧美亚洲一区二区三区 | 日韩精品不卡 | 欧美一级久久久久久久久大 | 色悠久| 国产精品3|