PM declares green zone handover as “Sovereignty Day” – spokesman

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Thursday declared as “National Sovereignty Day” the handover of security responsibilities for central Baghdad’s heavily-fortified green zone from U.S. forces to Iraqi authorities, a spokesman for the Baghdad Operations Command (BOC) said. “The national unity government has received on Thursday (1-1-2009) the Republican Palace and security duties for the green zone, for which the forces of the Baghdad Brigade will provide security,” BOC spokesman Maj. General Qassem Atta told IraqiNews.com news agency in a press conference he held today. The security transfer for the green zone coincides with the beginning of the security pact between Iraq and the United States to enter into effect as a preliminary step for the Iraqis to receive security tasks for the whole capital city later. “The Baghdad Brigade forces will be stationed at the six outlets leading to the green zone, where the Iraqi flag will be raised over checkpoints, while the Multi-National Force’s future role will be confined to logistical support and training,” Atta said. “Detectors, closed-circuit TVs and electronic checkpoints in the green zone will remain as they are in their previous places,” he said, adding the MNF will provide training for the Iraqi Baghdad Brigade forces on the use of the equipment. He pointed out that Maliki has assigned the higher security committee that received the green zone to conduct studies on the possibilities of opening the green zone outlets to citizens. The zone, lying on the west bank of the River Tigris, stretches over an area of 10 square kilometers. It is the headquarters of the republican palace, the Iraqi government, parliament, a number of ministries, residential sections and offices of several top Iraqi officials as well as the conference hall and al-Rasheed Hotel. It also includes the headquarters of the U.S., British, western and Arab embassies in Iraq. The U.S. forces had set up this zone after they entered Baghdad in 2003 and surrounded it with high concrete walls. AmR (S) 1