Bush ensures no change in Iraq sovereignty deadline

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, April 06, 2004

Bush ensures no change in Iraq sovereignty deadline

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US President George W. Bush said Monday that he was committed to the June 30 deadline for handing over sovereignty to Iraq and vowed that the United States would not be deterred by the escalating violence in the country.

"The intention is to make sure the deadline remains the same. Ibelieve we can transfer authority by June 30th. We are working toward that day," Bush told reporters after meeting the family members of Chris Hill, a US soldier killed in Iraq, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

"We've got to stay the course and we will stay the course. The message to the Iraqi citizens is they do not have to fear that America will turn and run. And that is an important message for them to hear," Bush said.

As to the escalating violence in Iraq, Bush said: "The closer we come to the deadline, the more likely there people will challenge our will."

Bush criticized a radical Shiite cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, whosesupporters rioted in Baghdad and four other cities in fighting that killed eight US troops and a Salvadoran soldier.

"This is one person that is deciding that rather than allowing democracy to flourish, he's going to exercise force," Bush said.

The White House has vowed to meet the deadline of turning over power to Iraq.

"The United States and our coalition partners are continuing towork closely with Iraqi leaders and the Iraqi people on our plan to meet the June 30th deadline," White House spokesman Brian Besanceney said in a statement.

Under current plans of the Bush Administration, the United States will hand over power to Iraq on June 30. However, US officials have said that more than 100,000 US troops will remain in Iraq for about two years.

Amid escalating violence and rising US casualties in Iraq, there has been speculation that the United States should extend the deadline for transferring power to Iraq.

Source: Xinhua

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