<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>Here's all you need to know about this "historic day":</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>"In a surprise, <EM>secret</EM> ceremony [ital added] that was hastily convened to decrease the chances of more violence, United States officials today handed over sovereignty to Iraqi leaders, formally ending the American occupation two days earlier than scheduled. <P>"In a <EM>tightly guarded room behind high walls </EM>[ital added] L. Paul Bremer III, the top United States administrator, presented a formal letter recognizing Iraq's sovereignty to Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. . . ."</P> <P>"The new Iraqi government, <EM>consisting of many wealthy exiles who spent years away from Iraq</EM>, <EM>is barred from making long-term policy decisions and will not control the 160,000 foreign troops remaining in the country. The government has the right to ask them to leave - but has made clear it has no intention of doing so. The government also cannot reverse any of the laws passed by American administrators during the occupation.</EM>"<EM> </EM></P> <P> Ital added.</P> <P><FONT face=Arial size=2><</FONT><A href="http://nytimes.com/2004/06/28/international/28CND-IRAQ.html?hp">http://nytimes.com/2004/06/28/international/28CND-IRAQ.html?hp</A><FONT face=Arial size=2>></FONT> </P> <P>DP</P></DIV></BODY></HTML>