Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 16, 2004)
The Diamond Event Come visit us April 16 th & 17 th for our first annual Montelongos Fine Jewelry Diamond Event! • Best prices of the year on all loose diamonds over 0.5Oct • 30% off all diamond jewelry in stock • Register to win an AJaffe ® mounting, valued at $2,000! Montelongos Fine Jewelry... The New Definition of Romance! 505 E. University Dr., Ste. 305 979-691-2019 Friday, April 16 th , 10-7 Saturday, April 17 th , 10-6 www.montelongos.com 8 A Friday, April 16, 2004 THE BAT1 Iranian diplomat assassinateL i in Iraq amid mediation missioi By Abdul Hussein Yousef THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Envoy sent to resolve Najaf standoff NAJAF, Iraq — Gunmen assassinated an Iranian diplomat in Baghdad on Thursday just as Iran, with tacit U.S. approval, attempted to mediate with a rad ical Shiite cleric defying American forces in this southern Iraqi city. The slaying of diplomat Khalil Naimi, shot in the head by unknown gunmen while he drove near his embassy, cast a shadow over Thursday’s unusual negotiating mission to Najaf by the envoy from neighboring Iran, which fought an eight-year war with Iraq in the 1980s and does not have diplomatic rela tions with Washington. Iranian Embassy officials were investigating whether there was a link between the assassi nation and the envoy’s visit. Naimi was not a member of the Iranian negotiating team. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said "it’s probably premature to draw any conclusions about whether it reflects anything about the role that Iran has played one way or the other in Iraq." The Iranian effort to mediate with anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr was arranged by Britain and appeared to have the approval of the United States, reflecting an eagerness to find a solution that would avert a An Iranian envoy headed to Najaf on Thursday to try to resolve the U.S. standoff with radical Shiite / cleric Muqtada al- Sadr. Iraqi militants, . meanwhile, executed an Italian security guard, one of four taken hostage Monday. SYRIA JORDAN l Marines and U.S. warplanes struck insurgents Militiamen moved onto rooftops and into buildings; U.S. troops remain on the outskirts ready to move against al-Sadr SOURCE: Associated Press U.S. assaull on Najaf — the holiest Shiite city — aimed at capturing al-Sadr. But it was not clear whether al-Sadr would agree to meet w ith Iranian envoy Hossein Sadeghi. Al-Sadr was accepting medi ation only by an Iraqi political party picked by Iraq’s top cler ics, said al-Sadr aide Sheik Qays al-Khaz'ali. Shiite Governing Council member Ibrahim al-Jaafari said he saw "flexibility from al-Sadr’s side” and called on the Americans to show "similar flexibility." Iraq’s top U.S. administrator. L. Paul Bremer, was involv "multiple channels" toi negotiate an end tothesu in the south and in theo city of Fallujah, said. Richard B. Myers, chain: the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Myers warned therein to how long the Marinesce off a resumption of operations in Fallujah. "As point somebody has to a decision on w hat we’re & do, and we certainly ca out the use of force thete he told a news conference in. Kcr mferei r exc© NEWS IN BRIEF Bush's endorsement gives Sharon boost in support JERUSALEM (AP) — President Bush's strong endorsement of Israel’s “disengagement plan” lifted support Thursday for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon but left angry Palestinian leaders scram bling to galvanize international opposition to the U.S. stance. At a White House meeting with the Israeli leader Wednesday, Bush expressed support for Sharon's plan to withdraw from all of Ga^ a handful of West Bank settlements. While voicing support for an in Palestinian state, Bush also gave unprec&J ed U.S. backing for Israel to hold on t settlement blocs in the West Bank. He atom out allowing Palestinian refugees to retu Israel after a Palestinian state is created Those concessions enraged the Pales! who want an independent state in all of M Bank and Gaza, which Israel captured in] 1967 Mideast war. THE Do yoi\ IF The Battalion is hiring motivated editors, writers, photographers and graphics artists Start work this summer or fall! • Learn the ropes in a professional newsroom environment • Develop the skills you need to advance while managing a team with The Battalion’s HEW paid internships Irocess count* ovider |on law The mute Deadlines: April 26 for editor applications Continuous hiring for staff positions Pick up an application in 014 Reed McDonald or online at www.thebatt.com. The Battalion lOVC AT SOME THE PINK FLOYD BLACK-LIGHT POSTER Jelpa ederly kploita Jing re (Terry 'the s led to iGov. F pgran JJdge I |0W to Ding b HAS TO GO Diplomaframers.com is your ultimate source for diploma frames in styles to fit every budget. Design^ your frame online, in minutes, and insert your diploma later. Get hooked up now at www, I FREE shipping through May 15th OFFICIALLY LICENSED BY TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY Diploma . FrAMERS.CO!|