New Iraq facing cruel media campaign – Talabani

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has said on Saturday that the new Iraq “is facing a cruel media campaign, burning facts, distorting passive elements and ignoring its national achievements.”   “The New Iraq is facing a cruel media campaign, burning and distorting facts, ignoring national achievements and reconstruction, as well as the living standards that have improved, along with the public and personal freedoms, the freedom of press, parties and organizations,” Talabani said in a speech at the opening of the 3rd Ambassadors Conference held in Baghdad on Saturday.   Talabani pointed out that the Iraqi Embassies, during the previous (Baath) regime “had been an authority directed against Iraqis, to watch them, surround them and strangling them in all fields, that is why we now need ambassadors, who strive to strengthen the relationship with Iraqi immigrants abroad, hammering down difficulties confronting them and help them return to Iraq, with their full will and freedom.”   The works of the 3rd Conference of Iraq’s Ambassadors abroad had started its works in Baghdad on Saturday, with the presence of President Talabani, Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, Vice-President, Khudhier al-Khuzae, Foreign Minister, Hoshiar Zibary, Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council, Mid’hat al-Mahmouod, Deputy Prime-Minister, Hussein al-Shahristani, Finance Minister, Rafie al-Issawi and several Iraqi Ambassadors abroad.   SKH (TR)/SR 672