New PM warns Iraq 'outlaws'
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 Coalition Administrator Paul Bremer handed the transfer document to the interim government.
 The coalition has transferred power to the Iraqi interim government two days earlier than the scheduled June 30 date.
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BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraq's interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi has urged his people not to be afraid of the "outlaws" fighting against "Islam and Muslims."
"I warn the forces of terror once again," he said at the swearing-in of the new government. "We will not forget who stood with us and against us in this crisis."
Allawi appealed for an end to attacks on police and security forces, who have borne the brunt of assaults waged by insurgents in the days leading to the handover.
"The army is the Iraqi army, not the Saddam Army," he said."They are our brothers and our sons."
He added: "God is with us."
Members of Iraq's new government took their oath of office on Monday in a ceremony only hours after the U.S.-run coalition transferred sovereignty, formally ending the U.S. military occupation. (Full story)
Each new minister stepped forward, and with right hand on the Koran, pledged to accept the new duties with sincerity and impartiality. Behind the ministers, a bank of Iraqi flags lined the podium.
Earlier at the official handover ceremony Allawi said the new Iraqi government was determined to go ahead with elections on January 2 of next year.
Last week he was quoted as saying insecurity might force the polls to be postponed until February or March.
Allawi said he was confident the new government would be handling the situation "whether it be security or the economy."
"This is a big day for us," he said. "Iraq is for the first time now able to deal with the problems."
The surprise early transfer of power to Iraq's interim government was first signaled by Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari in Istanbul early Monday, on the sidelines of a summit of NATO leaders.
"We will challenge these elements in Iraq, the anti-democratic elements, by even bringing the handover of sovereignty before June 30 as a sign we are ready for it," Zebari said Monday after a meeting with British PM Tony Blair.
Speaking to CNN later, Zebari said that the time was right for the interim government to take over.
"What I said was in fact, we are ready as the new Iraqi interim government to resume our responsibilities, especially now that we have a new U.N. Security Council resolution," Zebari told CNN.
"We have been discussing with the prime minister, with other ministries and the CPA (Coalition Provisional Authority) that the process is moving on, and if we are ready (to take power) before that, let's do it.
"We are ready."
Zebari denied that the early handover was planned to prevent any sabotage by insurgents in Iraq who may have been planning attacks for the scheduled June 30 handover date.
"I think the sabotage would be there for some time with us. This is a political struggle in which we are engaged," he told CNN.
 Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari: "This is a political struggle in which we are engaged." | |
"We want to prove to the Iraqi people and the world that we are in charge. We can manage our own security and can defend ourselves provided we are given the means and support to do that."
"Those who are counting on Iraq being divided ... should revise their assessment."
Zebari conceded the interim government faced many security challenges but said he didn't think the possibility of civil war existed.
"(There is a) very deadly terrorist network operating there (in Iraq), but we will rise up to responsibility and face those challenges," he said.
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Associated Press contributed to this report.
