WASHINGTON, June 28 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell called his counterparts around the world Monday to inform them of the transfer of power in Iraq.
State Department Deputy Spokesman Adam Ereli told a briefing in Washington that foreign ministers of Russia, China, Japan and South Korea were among those Powell telephoned Monday morning.
Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said Powell also had called defense ministers of several countries to explain the U.S. decision.
Ereli said Powell had not called any Arab foreign minister, but he did not know if others in the Bush administration had called Arab leaders.
The United States transferred power to an interim Iraqi government Monday, two days before the scheduled June 30 handover.
