There was pressure on me to step down: Prez

Iraq’s new President Ghazi Yawar was quoted as saying on Wednesday that he was pressured by foreign parties not to run for the post, partly because he had no links to the US administration in Iraq. ‘‘There was pressure and offers of other positions in return for my stepping down as presidential nominee and I did not accept any of them,’’ Yawar, told the pan-Arab Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.

‘‘It was very clear that I was not preferred by the coalition authorities and I have no links with the American administration,’’ said Yawar. ‘‘I was offered the position of ministerial level ambassador to Washington, minister of state in the Cabinet and deputy prime minister and I turned them all down. I did not come looking for posts,’’ he said.

‘‘The reason for the three-day delay in announcing the name of

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the president is the pressure on me to give up my right for nomination as president,’’ he added. Yawar will now be the figurehead

of the interim government that will take back sovereignty from

the US occupiers on June 30 and lead the country until elections are held in January 2005. — (Reuters)