U.S. Gives Unqualified Support to New Iraq Leaders
Tue Jun 1, 2004 01:33 PM ET

By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush voiced unqualified support on Tuesday for the leaders of Iraq's newly formed interim government and his national security adviser said they were not "America's puppets."

Bush pledged to work with the new prime minister, Iyad Allawi, days after the United States was caught off guard when the Iraqi Governing Council chose him last week.

"All the new prime minister needs to know is that I look forward to a close relationship with him," Bush said at a Rose Garden news conference.

Washington's preferred choice of president, elder statesman Adnan Pachachi, took himself out of the running, clearing the way on Tuesday for tribal chief Ghazi Yawar. Yawar was then sworn in with an interim Cabinet of technocrats and the Iraqi Governing Council was dissolved.

Rather than quibble about names, Bush and top U.S. officials decided to embrace the interim government, point out that both men and women are on it and stress that for Iraqi president, for instance, the United States did not have its heart set on any one candidate.

"I can tell you firmly and without any contradiction, this is a terrific list, a really good government, and we are very pleased with the names that have emerged," said national security adviser Condoleezza Rice.