IRAQ

Reuters: Bremer Fought to Weaken Iraqi Oil Watchdog-Sources

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - During three months of tough negotiations,
Iraq's U.S. administrator fought hard to trim the powers of an
independent watchdog being set up to monitor how he spends Iraq's oil money,
international agency officials said on Friday.

At one point, administrator Paul Bremer suspended the talks for six
weeks to show his displeasure with efforts by the agencies -- including the
United Nations and World Bank -- to ensure the independence of the new
watchdog agency, to be known as the International Advisory and
Monitoring Board, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.