[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 14 (Monday, April 11, 2005)]
[Page 570]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on the Election of the Presidency Council of the Iraqi 
Transitional Government

April 6, 2005

    Iraq's Transitional National Assembly took a momentous step forward 
in Iraq's transition to democracy today, voting by an overwhelming 
majority to elect the Presidency Council of the Iraqi Transitional 
Government.
    I congratulate Iraq's next President, Jalal Talabani, and its next 
Deputy Presidents, Adil Abd al-Mahdi and Ghazi al-Ujayl al-Yawr, on this 
historic occasion. These individuals will be formally sworn in tomorrow 
and will move quickly to name a Prime Minister who will work during the 
coming days to select a Council of Ministers. The new Iraqi Government 
will then begin its important work of writing a new constitution, 
continuing to train Iraqi security forces, delivering basic services, 
and advancing Iraq's transformation from dictatorship to democracy.
    The Iraqi people have shown their commitment to democracy, and we, 
in turn, are committed to Iraq. We look forward to working with this new 
Government, and we congratulate all Iraqis on this historic day.