Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 4 sepTember 2018
UN court hears case over strategic Indian Ocean islands

By MIKE CORDER tiations, then-British Prime
Associated Press Minister Harold Wilson told
THE HAGUE, Netherlands Mauritius' leader at the
(AP) — Officials from the time, Seewoosagur Ram-
Indian Ocean island nation goolam, that "he and his
of Mauritius told United Na- colleagues could return to
tions judges Monday that Mauritius either with inde-
former colonial power Brit- pendence or without it and
ain strong-armed its lead- that the best solution for all
ers half a century ago into might be independence
giving up territory as a con- and detachment (of the
dition of independence, a Chagos Islands) by agree-
claim that could have an ment."
impact on a strategically Ramgoolam understood
important U.S. military base. Wilson's words "to be in the
Judges at the Internation- nature of a threat," Jug-
al Court of Justice began nauth said.
hearing arguments for an British Solicitor General
advisory opinion the U.N. Robert Buckland described
General Assembly request- the case as essentially a
ed on the legality of British bilateral dispute about
sovereignty over the Cha- sovereignty and urged the
gos Islands. The largest is- court not to issue an advi-
land, Diego Garcia, has sory opinion. Buckland also
housed the U.S. base since disputed Mauritius' claim
the 1970s. Protesters hold placard and banners outside the World Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Monday, about coercion, citing
"The process of decoloniza- Sept. 3, 2018. Ramgoolam as saying after
tion of Mauritius remains in- Associated Press the deal that the detach-
complete as a result of the ment of the Chagos islands
unlawful detachment of an told judges. taken unlawfully by the U.K. pelago, which it calls the was a "matter that was ne-
integral part of our territory Mauritius argues that the in 1965, three years before British Indian Ocean Terri- gotiated." The U.K. sealed a
on the eve of our indepen- Chagos archipelago was the island gained indepen- tory. deal with the U.S. in 1966 to
dence," Mauritius Defense part of its territory since at dence. Britain insists it has Jugnauth testified that dur- use the territory for defense
Minister Anerood Jugnauth least the 18th century and sovereignty over the archi- ing independence nego- purposes. q

Iraq's new parliament meets as rival blocs vie for majority

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA Two blocs are claiming the ing in the legislative body.
Associated Press right to name the prime The al-Abadi bloc attested
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's minister. in a document to the leg-
newly-elected parliament A coalition led by al-Abadi islative body that it had
held its first session on Mon- and populist cleric Mo- more than 160 members
day as two blocs, both qtada al-Sadr has the sup- in its caucus, though their
claiming to hold the most port of the U.S. and Saudi statement contained only
seats, vied for the right to Arabia, while an alliance a handful of signatories.
form a new government. between former Prime Min- Lawmaker Qateh al-Rukabi
The session opened with a ister Nouri al-Maliki and mili- said the matter would likely
prayer and an orchestral tia leader Hadi al-Amiri has be taken to Iraq's highest
performance of the nation- the backing of Iran. court for a ruling.
al anthem, as lawmakers Both alliances are domi- Al-Maliki is said to be trying
convened for the first time nated by Shiites, who have to woo lawmakers from al-
since national elections held the preponderance Abadi's bloc. Al-Maliki and
were held in May. of power in Iraq since Sad- al-Abadi are both leading
The new parliament faces Iraq Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, center, arrives at the parlia- dam Hussein's ouster in members of the Islamic
the twin tasks of rebuilding ment building to attend the first session in Baghdad, Iraq, Mon- 2003. But the largest Sunni Dawa party, which remains
the north of the country fol- day, Sept. 3, 2018. blocs are aligned with al- divided over the longstand-
lowing the war against the Associated Press Abadi and al-Sadr. Iraq's ing rivalry between the two
Islamic State group and re- two main Kurdish parties men.
habilitating services in the al-Abadi in an address to and underserved regions in have not taken a side. Mohamad Ali Zeini, parlia-
south, where severe water parliament. the west and center of the By custom, the prime minis- ment's oldest lawmaker
and electricity shortages Al-Abadi, who came to country. ter's post is reserved for Shi- and its caretaker speaker,
have fueled protests. power in 2014, oversaw the Lawmakers must now se- ites, the speaker's post for adjourned the session until
"We must focus in the war on IS after the extrem- lect a parliament speaker Sunnis, and the presidency Tuesday to allow members
next stage on reconstruc- ists seized Mosul, Iraq's sec- before electing a presi- for Kurds. time to choose a speaker.
tion, services, and provid- ond largest city, and close dent, a largely ceremonial On Monday, the al-Maliki He told The Associated Press
ing jobs. It is the time for to one-third of Iraqi territory. post. The president then bloc presented a state- he was doubtful a quorum
economic reforms and Al-Abadi declared victory appoints a prime minister, ment with 150 signatories would be achieved Tues-
expanding our security last year, but the militants nominated by the largest from the 329-member Par- day as Sunni lawmakers
achievements," said care- continue to raid, kidnap, bloc in parliament, to form liament saying they had were divided between 6
taker Prime Minister Haider and murder Iraqis in lawless a government. formed the largest group- nominees.q