The United States was a dealt a blow to its efforts in shaping the post June 30th Iraqi government when its pick for president refused to take the position earlier today after being selected by the Iraqi Governing Council. The U.S. had been heavily lobbying for former Iraqi foreign minister Adnan Pachachi to fill the largely symbolic seat. On Monday the head of the US occupation, Paul Bremer, forced the council to delay a vote when it appeared Pachachi didn’t have enough votes. The London Independent reported Bremer threatened to veto any vote by the governing council if it did not select Pachachi. Earlier today the council, under U.S. pressure, picked Pachachi, only for him to say no to the job. Then the council picked his main opponent, another Sunni, Ghazi al-Yawar, a tribal leader who also sits on the Governing Council. In his first news conference as president Yawar called on the UN to give Iraq full sovereignty after the so-called June 30th handover.