Iraqi President Saddam Hussein made a cabinet reshuffle Wednesday only days after his son, Uday, criticized the government’s performance at the Arab summit in Amman late March, according to Monte Carlo radio.
Foreign Minister Mohammed Sahhaf was appointed minister of Information, replacing Hammam Abdul-Khalq, reported Iraq’s official news agency.
It added that Abdul-Khaleq was assigned to the post of minister of higher education and scientific research.
Deputy Foreign Minister Tareq Aziz was apponited as acting foreign minister, said the agency.
Meanwhile, Naji Sabri Hadithi was appointed state minister for foreign affairs, said the agency.
Monte Carlo Radio reported that the Saddam’s reshuffle followed his son’s call for a shake-up in Iraq's parliament to give what is seen as a rubber-stamp body a voice of its own, and his criticism of the Iraqi delegation’s performance at the Arab summit.
On April 14th, Uday criticized the delegation for "failing on the issue of the embargo against Iraq and the Palestinian cause," although he did not critize his father, said AFP.
Baghdad's summit delegation, led by Saddam's number two Ezzat Ibrahim, "did not respect the directives of President Saddam Hussein to focus efforts exclusively on the Palestinian cause," Uday said.
The parliament should not just be an "echo" of the government, he said in an April 2 speech to the house, published on Saturday.
Uday also called for a vote of confidence in the speaker, ruling Baath party veteran Saadun Hamadi Hamadi, who is in his second term as parliament leader.
"A vote on the action of the speaker of parliament will allow the speaker to remain in place if he wins a majority of votes or to change him if he fails," Uday said as he was sworn in as an MP, a year after winning 99.99 percent of his constituency vote, AFP added.
The vote would also allow an evaluation of "the actions of the speaker on behalf of the people," since the March 2000 elections.
The 37-year-old, one of few figures in Iraq powerful enough to voice such criticism, said the house "should make its voice heard" and not just "echo" government policy – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
