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Talabani And Jaafari Fight Over Saddam's Palace

Talabani And Al Ja'fari Have a dispute over a palace in the Green Zone

Nov 7, 2005  Al Sharq Al Awsat 

Baghdad, (Iraq) - A source in the Iraqi cabinet disclosed a dispute that erupted between the Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and the Prime Minister Ibrahim Al Ja'fari on a palace in the green zone, which has been designated for the republic president, but the prime minister attempted to seize it.

The source, who is residing in the green zone and spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the cabinet divan and the residents of the green region, who are close to the palace, have been sarcastic about this dispute, which almost ruined the relation between the two figures, which is already tense.

Al Sharq Al Awsat managed to closely see the palace from outside and photographed it. The palace lies on the bank of Tigris River and is built of white stone. It has been built during the reign of the ousted president Saddam Hussein as a hosting palace that was designated for the residence of the late Jordanian king Hussein but reliable information affirm that he (King Hussein) has never resided there.

The reason for the dispute between Talabani and Al Ja'fari was that the presidency divan has designated this palace for President Talabani to use it as an office or place of residence. Nevertheless, Al Ja'fari desired to get it and sent his companions and guards to control the place, which they already did. This made President Talabani angry. Therefore, he sent a number of his guards to retrieve the place. An armed confrontation almost erupted, were it not for the withdrawal of Al Ja'fari's group from the palace, which has gardens, fountains and a water pond that were established during Saddam Hussein's regime.
The American administration has previously designated the palace as a headquarters for the NATO to solve the dispute between Talabani and Al Ja'fari, but Talabani refused that and retrieved that place, which the presidency divan started to furnish.

It is worth mentioning that the palace, the subject of the dispute, lies near the offices and place of residence of Al Ja'fari, who has designated about 22 palaces and homes in the green zone for himself and his companions. The Iraqi prime minister currently resides in a palace that used to be designated for the outset president Saddam Hussein's residence.

The majority of Iraqi officials are residing in palaces and villas in the green zone, which lies in the luxurious region of Karadet Maryam, except for Abdel Aziz Al Hakim, head of the Supreme Council for the Islamic revolution, who resides at the place of residence of Tarek Aziz, former deputy prime minister in the former regime.

As regards Dr. Iyad Allawi, he never resided in the green zone. The former government has designated the palace of King Faisal I for him, but he refused to reside there, which prompted Adel Abdel Mahdi, republic vice-president, to request to occupy the palace. Allawi has sent him the keys of the palace, according to a source in the office of the former Prime Minister, whom none of his companions or members of his movement (The Iraqi National Accord) has resided in the green zone. In addition, Dr. Ahmed Al Jilbi, head of the Iraqi National Conference, has not resided in the green zone. He selected a villa owned by his sister in Al Mansour region as a place for his residence.