Coalition Provisional
Authority
Baghdad, Iraq
Thomas
J. Basile
Office of Strategic
Communications
1-914-822-7597
BAGHDAD CITY COUNCIL ELECTS
NEW CHAIRMAN
First Orderly, Democratic
Transfer of Power in 35 Years
Baghdad, Iraq…September 11, 2003—Emblematic
of democracy taking hold in Iraq, the Coalition Provisional Authority in
conjunction with the City of Baghdad is pleased to announce the election of the
new Baghdad City Council chairman. The election of the new chairman is
the first orderly, democratic transfer of power for any public office in
Baghdad in more than 35 years.
Eight candidates submitted their
names for the position and voting took place by way of a secret ballot of all
37 council members. Following the first round of balloting, Adnan Abdul
Sahib Hassan and Ali Radhi Al-Haideri each had received 18 votes. A
runoff was then held electing Mr. Adnan chairman and Mr. Ali vice
chairman.
The election comes as the term
for the chairman of the Council, elected on July 3, 2003, had come to an
end. Outgoing chairman, Khaled Mirza, chose not to run for
re-election. Dr. Mirza is head of the Baghdad University Peridontontology
Department and had expressed an interest in devoting more time to his academic
commitments.
Following the election, Mr. Adnan
thanked the Council for the trust they were placing in him. He then
outlined the goals for his tenure as chairman, including strengthening the role
of the City Council’s committees, deepening the City’s ties to the Iraqi
Governing Council, and continuing to work closely with the Coalition.
“These steps will help ensure
that the people derive maximum benefit from the work of their City Council,”
said Mr. Adnan, 52, who until recently was an import/export agent for food
commodities. He holds a BA in English Literature from Baghdad University
(1974).
“The Council has worked through a
difficult period together,” said Mr. Ali, 46, who holds a BS degree in
Mechanical Engineering and MA in Business Administration. He has been the
director of the Al-Timsaah (Alligator) Paint Company for the past 20
years. “The members have managed to put aside their differences and are
becoming like a family.”
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