GCC pulls out of Syria mission

Jan 25, 2012

RIYADH: The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) said on Tuesday that it had decided to withdraw its monitors deployed in Syria within the framework of an Arab League peace plan.

The decision follows the announcement made by Saudi Arabia about its plan for withdrawal, and a call made by the Arab League to Syrian President Bashar Assad to step down over his bloody crackdown on a 10-month-old revolt in which thousands of Syrians have been killed and hundreds of thousands injured so far.

“After hectic consultations among the member states, the GCC took the decision to pull out their observers and urged the UN Security Council to exert pressure on Damascus to implement the plan of the Arab League for lasting peace and security in the country,” said GCC spokesman Ahmed Al-Kabi in Riyadh on Tuesday. Al-Kabi said member states were discussing future courses of action after the Syrian regime did not respond to efforts to promote a peaceful solution to the unrest.

“The GCC as a bloc is losing confidence in the possibility of a negotiated solution in Syria,” said the spokesman, adding that the poor response from the Syrian government to the Arab League peace plan led to the collapse of the monitoring mission.

Meanwhile, envoys to the Cairo-based league met later on Tuesday and decided to continue its mission in Syria.

Referring to the decision made by the GCC to pull out monitors, a statement released by the GCC General Secretariat said: “The decision was made after close and careful monitoring of the events in Syria, where killings of innocent people are continuing…and non-commitment of the Syrian regime to the implementation of the resolutions of Arab League is creating problem after problem.” A total of 55 observers were sent by the GCC early this month to join the Arab League mission and to monitor the situation in Syria.

The GCC observers together with some observers from Iraq joined the Arab League delegation within the framework of the Arab League Peace Plan, which seeks to restore peace and security in the country. The observers were well equipped to carry out their mission with firm determination and trust at a critical time. However, the GCC on Tuesday decided to wrap up its mission after it became evident the Syrian regime was not at all implementing the Arab League decisions. The GCC also called on members of the UN Security Council to press Syria to implement the Arab League decisions and the Arab initiative on Syria. The Arab League, on its part, said it has requested a meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon so it could present its proposals on resolving the Syria crisis and demand support from the UN Security Council. The GCC statement called on stakeholders to ensure implementation of the resolutions of the Arab League with seriousness and credibility.

It also called on the international community “to shoulder its responsibilities, including brothers in Islamic countries and friends in Russia, China, France, Britain, the United States and other member states of UN Security Council and take all necessary measures to pressure Syria to implement the resolutions of Arab League.” A Reuters report said Tuesday the Arab League has begun to withdraw 55 Gulf monitors from Syria after their governments decided to quit the peace mission.

“The Arab League has begun measures to withdraw 55 Gulf monitors,” said Adnan Al-Khodeir, head of the monitoring operations room at the League’s Cairo headquarters, as quoted by Reuters. He said their home countries ordered the withdrawal and any moves to bring home more monitors would require decisions by national governments. The United Nations estimates that more than 5,400 people have been killed since March last year when the Syrian regime launched a crackdown on protesters calling for democratic reforms.

Egypt rallies mark anti-Mubarak uprising anniversary

25 January 2012

Thousands of Egyptians are gathering in Cairo's Tahrir Square to mark one year since the start of the uprising which toppled President Hosni Mubarak.

Some are celebrating the success of Islamist parties in the first post-Mubarak elections, while others are calling for further political reforms.

The decades-old state of emergency law has been partially lifted to mark the anniversary.

Mr Mubarak is on trial accused of ordering the killing of demonstrators.

He denies the charges.

By Tuesday night, thousands of protesters had already gathered in Tahrir Square, the focus of last year's demonstrations. They were joined by thousands more in the morning.

The BBC's Jon Leyne, in Cairo, says the mood is peaceful so far, resembling more a huge street party than a political protest.

Paul Danahar, Cairo

One year on from Egypt's revolution I am standing in the same square with the same people in a different country. Thousands are filing into Tahrir Square to celebrate the end of a dictatorship which smothered this nation of 85 million people for decades.

But if a year ago the people were united in one cause the scene in the square today also reveals their divisions. Before there was only one stage, one microphone and one message. Now there are many.

And as in the new parliament the loudest voice, the biggest platform, the greatest support in the square today belongs to the Muslim Brotherhood.

At the moment Tahrir Square feels more like a victory party for them than a celebration for all the people. The Facebook generation are simply lost in the crowd. Political Islam has taken centre stage both in Tahrir and in the Arab world. It now believes it can now reshape the region in its image.

The various groups are all competing to claim ownership of the revolution, says our correspondent, from the youth movement which began the protests a year ago to the Muslim Brotherhood, which now dominates parliament, and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), which took power last February after Mr Mubarak stepped down.

Protesters who stayed in the square overnight put up tents and chanted slogans against the military council, which many say should stand down immediately.

"The Egyptian army killed us in Tahrir and I am not afraid to say it," demonstrator Khaled Abdallah told the Reuters news agency.

"The army and police murdered us and cut off the revolution's voice; but I am telling you now, the revolution's voice will not be silenced," he said.

Other groups chanted "Down with military rule" and "Revolution until victory, revolution in all of Egypt's streets".

But some people in the square said the protests should end and the new leaders be given time to move Egypt forward.

"The council will leave power in any case. Sure, the revolution is incomplete, but it doesn't mean we should obstruct life," accountant Mohamed Othman told Reuters.

Others said they had turned out to remember those who lost their life in the uprising.

"We should not forget that there was bloodshed here. This is not a celebration, but it is a big event to send our condolences to our brothers who passed away between the 25th of last January and now," said Walid Saad.

'Thuggery'

On Tuesday, Scaf chairman Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi said the state of emergency, which has been in place in Egypt almost continuously since 1967, was to be lifted.

But Field Marshall Tantawi said the law would still be applied in cases of "thuggery", without giving any details.

The military has used the term "thugs" to justify the crackdown on people demanding a return to civilian rule.

An end to the much-hated law had been a key demand of the protesters. During his nearly 30 years in power, Mr Mubarak had repeatedly promised to lift the decree and then failed to do so.

Last year, the generals widened the scope of the emergency law to include labour strikes, traffic disruption and spreading false information.

The newly elected parliament met for the first time on Monday since elections - which took place over several months - returned an Islamist majority.

The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) of the Muslim Brotherhood - banned under Mr Mubarak - holds the largest number of seats.

The session began with a moment of silence for those killed in the anti-Mubarak protests.

Obama Says Peaceful Outcome on Iran still Possible

U.S. President Barack Obama said Tuesday that a peaceful resolution was still possible in the international showdown with Iran over its nuclear ambitions.

But Obama vowed in his annual State of the Union speech that he would "take no options off the table," including the military option, in preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

The world community has overcome its divisions and was now united on how to check Iran's nuclear ambitions, Obama told lawmakers from both chambers of the U.S. Congress, in remarks prepared for delivery.

"The regime is more isolated than ever before; its leaders are faced with crippling sanctions, and as long as they shirk their responsibilities, this pressure will not relent," Obama said.

"Let there be no doubt: America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off the table to achieve that goal," the president declared.

"But a peaceful resolution of this issue is still possible," he said.

The United States and the European Union have stepped up sanctions targeting Iran's oil and banking sector as part of efforts to force Iran to stop uranium enrichment, which they fear masks a drive to produce an atomic bomb.

Iran insists its enrichment program is purely peaceful.

Iran's leaders have warned they could close the Strait of Hormuz -- a key transit route for global oil supplies -- if increased Western sanctions over Tehran's suspect nuclear program halt Iranian oil exports.

Egypt army hands legislative power to new parliament

January 24, 2012

CAIRO: Egypt's ruling military Monday handed legislative powers to the new Islamist-dominated lower house of parliament, which convened for the first time since a popular uprising ousted Hosni Mubarak.

"Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, has announced in a letter to the people's assembly the transfer of legislative power to the assembly," the cabinet said on its Facebook page.

A year after the uprising, many Egyptians see the new parliament as the first sign of democratic rule, in sharp contrast to the previous legislature dominated by Mubarak's party.

A marathon parliamentary election, which ended just days ago, saw Egypt's two main Islamist parties catapulted to the center stage of politics, having clinched nearly three quarters of the 498 seats.

In their first act, newly elected deputies voted in Saad al-Katatni, leading member of the powerful Musim Brotherhood, as the new speaker of parliament.

The MPs also elected two deputy speakers: Ashraf Thabet from the ultra conservative Salafist Al-Nur party and Mohammed Abdel Alim Daoud of the liberal Wafd party.

"We want to build a new Egypt, a constitutional, democratic and modern Egypt," Katatni said in a speech after being sworn in.

"Democracy will be the source of our parliament's power," he added in remarks greeted with applause.

Katatni, 59, served as the secretary general of the Freedom and Justice Party, the political arm of the once-banned Muslim Brotherhood, which won 47 percent of seats in the first free elections since the revolt.

"We say to the Egyptian people and to the world that our revolution continues," Katatni said to more applause.

Outside the People's Assembly, hundreds of Islamist supporters greeted the MPs as they entered the parliament, in scenes unimaginable just a year ago when most Islamist movements were banned.

But the exact role of parliament remains unclear, with much power remaining in the hands of the generals who took over from former president Mubarak.

"How can we read this oath when we don't even know if we will be a presidential system or a parliamentary system?" one MP asked during the swearing in.

Hundreds of protesters also gathered outside parliament amid heavy security to press deputies to implement the goals of the revolution, including an end to military trials of civilians, social justice and the trial of officials found guilty of abuse.

Others chanted against the ruling military council and its chief Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, who served as Mubarak's defense minister for two decades.

Katatni thanked "the great Egyptian army and the (ruling) Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which stuck to its promise that it would hold elections that the world could boast about."

The military has repeatedly pointed to the landmark polls as proof of its intention to cede power to civilian rule, but it has come under intense criticism in recent months for rights abuses and for stifling dissent.

Activists accuse the generals of seeking to maintain political control despite the army's assurances it will cede power to a civilian authority when a president is elected in June.

Before Katatni's election, the packed and sometimes chaotic first session was chaired by parliament's most senior member, Mahmud al-Saqqa of the liberal Wafd party.

The deputies were sworn in one by one, pledging to "preserve the safety of the nation and the interests of people and to respect the constitution and the law."

In a sign of the Islamists' increasing assertiveness, one ultra-conservative Islamist MP insisted on adding a religious reference to the oath.

Lawyer Mamduh Ismail took the microphone vowing to also "abide by the law of God," but he was sharply rebuked by the chair, Saqqa.

"Please stick to the text," an angry Saqqa urged Ismail, asking him to repeat the oath several times.

Others tried to add "to protect the goals of the revolution" to the oath and received a similar rebuke, during the animated first session which saw several deputies don yellow sashes calling for "an end to military trials of civilians."

The long-banned Muslim Brotherhood won a crushing elections victory with 47.18 percent through its Freedom and Justice Party.

The ultra-conservative Salafist Al-Nur party came second with 24.29 percent, with the liberal Wafd party finishing a distant third.

The liberal Egyptian Bloc -- which includes the Free Egyptians party of telecom magnate Naguib Sawiris who faces trial on allegations of insulting Islam -- came fourth with around seven percent.

The 508-member assembly was dissolved in February by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

The Brotherhood, Egypt's best organized political grouping, had been widely expected to triumph in the polls but the surge by Al-Nur and high visibility of Salafi movements have raised fears about civil liberties and religious freedom.

Elections for parliament's upper house, the Shura Council, are to begin later this month and end in February. Then the two chambers will choose a 100-member panel to draft a new constitution.

Russia against sanctions, open to dialogue on Syria

January 25, 2012  

MOSCOW: Russia said on Wednesday it was "open to constructive proposals" on Syria but remained opposed to any UN resolution requiring all nations to abide by unilateral sanctions imposed by the West.

"We are open to constructive proposals that go in line with the set task of ending violence," Foreign Minister Sergei lavrov said following talks with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu.

His comments came as Russian and US officials had talks in Moscow on how to stop the violence in Syria, which UN estimates say have killed more than 5,400 people.

Russia was open to changes to a resolution it has proposed to the UN Security Council that blames both the Syrian government and the opposition for the use of force, said lavrov.

But he insisted that Russia would not back UN action granting the global body's approval of economic sanctions already adopted against its traditional ally by the European Union and the United States.

"We will not be able to back proposals under which unilaterally imposed sanctions against Syria -- sanctions that were declared without any consultations with Russia or China or other BRIC nations -- are blessed retroactively," said lavrov.

"This is simply unfair and counterproductive."

Any resolution backed by Russia "must firmly record that it cannot be used or interpreted to justify anyone's outside military intervention in the Syria crisis," he added.

Libyan defence minister in restive Bani Walid for talks

25 January 2012

Libya's defence minister has arrived in Bani Walid, a former stronghold of the Gaddafi regime, after four people were killed in fighting there on Monday.

Osama al-Juwali wants to negotiate with militiamen who drove those loyal to the National Transitional Council into the surrounding desert, officials say.

Locals have told the BBC 90% of the town is under the militiamen's control.

In case Mr Juwali is unsuccessful, NTC forces armed with artillery and rockets have gathered outside, ready to attack.

However, one commander was overheard telling his men that they were there "for the purposes of reconciliation, not fighting".

'Peacekeeping force'

On Tuesday, the head of Bani Walid's council, Mubarak al-Fatamni, said that forces loyal to the new government were attacked on 23 January in a "barbaric manner" by members of the "remnants of the Gaddafi regime"

Mr Fatamni said the green flag used by Libya during Col Muammar Gaddafi's rule had been flown over the town for a short time on Monday.

But spokesmen for the interim prime minister and defence ministry told the BBC the dispute was a local one, involving rival militias.

Later, Mr Juwali warned that forces loyal to the NTC would "strike with an iron fist" against anyone who posed a threat to Libyan security.

On Wednesday, a member of the local council, Abdul Aziz al-Jumaili, told the Reuters news agency that he had been speaking to the defence minister "to find a solution to this problem".

Mr Jumaili said a "peacekeeping force" comprised of units of former rebel fighters loyal to the NTC and drawn from other towns in the region had set up checkpoints on the outskirts of Bani Walid.

The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse, who is on the outskirts of Bani Walid, says that for the moment the NTC is describing the recent clashes as a local problem rather than an organised pro-Gaddafi counter revolution.

The NTC says it hopes order can be restored through negotiation, but judging by the force now gathering outside the town it looks like they are keeping their military options open, our correspondent adds.

This is the latest in a series of clashes between rival armed groups, three months after the official end of the revolution that ousted Col Gaddafi.

Earlier this month, armed clashes between militias in the towns of Assabia and Gharyan left 12 dead and about 100 injured.

Libya's interim leader, Mustafa Abdul Jalil, has warned of the dangers of a civil war if the country's militias are not disarmed.

Syria agrees to extend Arab League observer mission

January 2012

Syria has agreed to extend the mandate of the Arab League observer mission by a month, Syria's state-run news agency Sana reports.

Foreign Minister Walid Muallem had informed the secretary general of the league of the Syrian government's decision, Sana said.

The group will now continue its work until 23 February.

The mission was set up in late December to monitor Damascus' compliance with a league plan to end bloodshed in Syria.

The Local Co-ordination Committees, a network of anti-government activists, said 60 people had been killed across Syria on Tuesday - including five defecting soldiers and 41 in Homs, a major focal point of unrest.

The UN says more than 5,000 people have died as the government seeks to quash 10 months of protests.

Syrian officials say about 2,000 members of the security forces have been killed in the unrest, which has become increasingly violent as defectors from the army join the opposition.

'New York or the moon'

Syria's decision to agree an extension of the mission is not a surprise, reports the BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut.

In a news conference a few hours before the extension to the observer mission was announced, Mr Muallem had drawn a distinction between the mission and the new Arab League peace plan announced on Sunday, he adds.

The new plan called for President Bashar al-Assad to step down and for elections to be held. Damascus rejected the proposals out of hand as a blatant interference in its affairs.

The six members of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) - Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE - had earlier announced the withdrawal of their countries' monitors from the mission.

In a statement, the GCC called on "members of the UN Security Council... to take all needed measures to press Syria to implement the Arab League decisions and the Arab initiative on Syria".

The move means the mission will now continue without almost a third of its 160 or so members.

Britain, France, Germany and Arab nations are working on a resolution to put before the Security Council next week condemning Syria's crackdown on protests, AFP reports.

Mr Muallem dismissed the possibility of the crisis being referred to the UN, saying: "Whether they go to New York or to the moon it's their business. As long as we're not paying for their tickets."

Some regional powers were "internationalising" the situation in Syria, he added.

Security Council action on Syria has so far been prevented by veto-wielding permanent members Russia and China, who have been reluctant to back action that they say might lead to Libya-style military intervention.

Israel detains Hamas MP Aziz Dweik for six months

25 January 2012

An Israeli military court has ordered Hamas MP Aziz Dweik, speaker of the Palestinian parliament, to be held without trial for six months.

His lawyer told Reuters news agency that the detention order says his client is "liable to be involved in hostile actions against Israel".

Mr Dweik was detained on Thursday near the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, which Israel has designated a terrorist group, condemned the arrest.

Hamas said Israel wanted to undermine its attempts at reconciliation with the Fatah movement of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

'No specific reasons'

Mr Dweik, an influential figure in Palestinian political circles, was the first of five Hamas MPs to be arrested by the Israelis in the past five days.

On Tuesday evening, his office said a military court in Ofer had ordered that he be placed in administrative detention for six months.

"As is almost always the case, it gave no specific reasons why Dweik should be held," his lawyer Fadi Kawasmi told Reuters.

"It said only that he was being detained because he was liable to be involved in hostile actions against Israel," he added.

Mr Dweik was arrested by Israel in 2006, not long after Hamas won the Palestinian Legislative Council elections, and spent almost three years in prison after being convicted of belonging to an illegal organisation.

The Islamist group seized control of Gaza from forces loyal to President Abbas in 2007, since when the PLC has not functioned formally.

On Friday, a day after Mr Dweik's arrest, Israeli soldiers detained Hamas MP Khaled Tafesh at his home in a village east of Bethlehem.

And on Monday, Israeli police arrested another two senior Hamas MPs who had been sheltering for more than 18 months in the compound of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in East Jerusalem.

Former Palestinian Jerusalem Affairs Minister Khaled Abu Arafah and Mohammed Totah took refuge after their Jerusalem residency permits were cancelled.

Then early on Tuesday, Hamas said its MP Abdul Jaber Fuqaha had been taken from his home in Ramallah by Israeli soldiers.

The Palestinian Authority cabinet condemned the arrests on Tuesday and demanded Israel "immediately free all lawmakers".

Kuwait ambassador to take up Baghdad post in February

January 25, 2012

Manama: Kuwait's ambassador to Iraq said that he would move to Baghdad in early February.

"The embassy building has now been completed and the offices are ready," Ali Al Moemen said. "I will leave with the team of four diplomats to Baghdad early next month to resume our work officially in the new premises," he said, quoted by Arabic daily Al Watan on Wednesday.

The embassy building is in a secure location, away from the areas where bomb explosions usually occur, the ambassador said.

"We are looking forward to enhancing bilateral relations and the convergence of our points of view for the interests of both countries," the diplomat told the daily.

Residents told to flee rising NSW rivers

January 25, 2012

About 2,000 people are being evacuated from their homes on the New South Wales far north coast, after the same weather system that drenched Queensland moved south.

Major flooding is expected in the Tweed Valley after receiving more than 500 millimetres of rain over the past three days with more on the way.

Up to half that much again is forecast for the next 24 hours.

A major flood warning is current for the Tweed River, which was predicted to exceed the major flooding level at Murwillumbah at 6pm (AEDT). The river is expected to rise to around 5.2 metres by 8pm (AEDT).

Evacuation orders have been issued for South Murwillumbah, Condong, Tumbulgum and Chinderah.

The nearby village of Fingal Head is also being evacuated.

SES spokesman Simon Gregg says people should take heed of the evacuation order.

"The reason we've gone with the evacuation order now is so that there is time for people to be spoken to," he said.

"It normally takes a period of time for it to sink in with the residents, and then they decide that they're going to evacuate."

Minor to moderate flooding is expected in other catchments on the Northern Rivers.

Warnings for minor to moderate flooding are in place for river valleys further south between Brunswick Heads and Taree.

Residents downstream from the Clarrie Hall Dam at Doon Doon Creek and Uki are being asked to prepare for possible evacuation.

The situation has eased on the mid-north coast, but more rain is expected and several communities remain isolated.

Police are urging people in the region not to drive after many drivers have been ignoring safety warnings.

"Throughout our region all day we've had calls from people who have been either washed off the road or stuck on causeways throughout the district," Inspector Jim Kain said.

"On many occasions they're in areas that we just cant get to or it stretches our resources, takes us away from other areas such as those evacuations to make sure these people are all right."

A free-call telephone service has been set up to provide information for flood-affected residents - 1800 227 228.

The call centre is staffed by emergency service workers and volunteers.

Those seeking emergency assistance should still call the SES hotline on 132 500.

Abbott stirs pot with coal seam gas comments

January 25, 2012

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has stirred debate within Opposition ranks, saying a future Coalition government would support coal seam gas extraction "under the right circumstances".

Speaking in Tamworth, where the issue has caused considerable controversy, Mr Abbott has told ABC Radio open-cut mining causes far more environmental damage.

But opponents of CSG, including colourful Queensland MP Bob Katter, say Mr Abbott does not know what he is talking about.

Mr Abbott has moved to allay some of the fears about the industry.

"There's a big difference between coal seam gas extraction and open-cut mining," he said.

"Open-cut mining is a devastating thing. Coal seam gas extraction, by contrast, involves relatively little disturbance of the surface, a relatively modest area for the plant itself, some roads and fences.

"One of the reasons why a lot of the farmers are quite happy to see the extraction is because as part of the process they get their roads upgraded."

Mr Abbott said, however, that coal seam gas extraction sites should only be approved "under the right circumstances".

"I think there are very legitimate concerns about the impact on the water table," he said.

"This is our nation's bread basket, this is a priceless asset for future generations, and we have to be incredibly careful not to compromise because our children and grandchildren and their children and grandchildren won't thank us if we do," he said.

In an interview on commercial radio last year, Mr Abbott backed farmers' rights over CSG explorers coming onto their land.

Mr Windsor has other concerns.

"The mixing of various groundwater aquifers, the impact in the Murray-Darling system - a lot of that work hasn't been done," he said.

"So I'd be a little bit concerned that a leader of one of the major parties would be prompting the issue without going into what the real issue is, and that's the scientific verification."

Hazardous

Mr Katter says drilling holes through aquifers is "extremely hazardous".

"I regret to say the Leader of the Opposition, I strongly applaud him in other areas, but in this particular area I think he should butt out because he doesn't know what he's talking about."

Drew Hutton from the Lock the Gate Alliance also says Mr Abbott's comments are misguided.

"The wells themselves are only a small part of it, if you include the amount of tree clearing that will be necessary for the thousands of kilometres of pipeline which are going to be built," he said.

"Then, you're talking about rates of land clearing we haven't seen in this land for a decade."

While some other Coalition MPs and senators have been campaigning against the expansion of the industry, Rick Wilkinson from the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association says more people are recognising the benefits of the industry.

"I think there's growing support as we build the knowledge of coal seam gas, how the companies interact and support regions, creating employment and economic growth, and I think that's starting to be acknowledged."

In a statement, the Australian Coal Association says less than 0.5 per cent of New South Wales is used for mining and that land is restored.

The federal environment and resources ministers were not available for comment.

Queensland to vote on March 24

January 25, 2012

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has announced the state will go to the polls on March 24 after she was forced to give the state's floods inquiry more time to consider new evidence.

Ms Bligh said she had originally wanted to hold the state election on March 3 but said she was pushing it back to give the inquiry more time to do its job.

The move follows the floods inquiry's request for more public hearings and an extension of the deadline for its final report.

The inquiry will now have until March 16 to hand down its findings into last year's catastrophic floods, which left large areas of Brisbane and other parts of the state under water.

The inquiry will hold six extra hearings to review evidence about the operation of Wivenhoe Dam.

Ms Bligh said council elections which had been scheduled for March 31 would be moved back to late April or early May to avoid voters having to go to the polls again so soon after the state ballot.

She said voters deserved to know the truth about the floods as set out in the final flood report before going into the polling booths.

"I'm not afraid of that truth, and I believe every flood victim deserves that truth," she said.

"I've made a judgement which I feel serves the best interests of democracy."

The official election campaign will start on February 19 when the State Government goes into caretaker mode.

Ms Bligh said it would not be in the interests of the state for the Government to be in caretaker mode for nine weeks.

"I am acting here in the interests of Queenslanders, not in the interests of myself, or my party or the Government," she said.

"(Queenslanders) are entitled to see the recommendations in relation to both state and local governments, and they are entitled to consider the responses of major parties and mayoral and local council candidates to any recommendations of the report."

Confusion

Liberal National Party leader Campbell Newman said the timing of the election should have nothing to do with the release of the flood commission's final report.

Mr Newman says he is "ambivalent" about whether the report needs to be released first, but the announcement has created more uncertainty and confusion for the people of Queensland.

"I don't mind either way. What I'm objecting to is this being an excuse to continue this state of limbo for Queensland businesses and for families," he said.

He said the decision had more to do with Labor politics than buying more time for the flood inquiry.

"Every day the Premier has delayed - for her own advantage - is another day we can't address the long trail of problems Labor has created," Mr Newman said.

Opposition Leader Jeff Seeney said election dates should not be linked to the report.

"By trying to drag the independent Commission of Inquiry into the debate about the election date the Premier is seeking to politicise the work of that inquiry," Mr Seeney said.

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale said the move raised doubts about the inquiry process.

"If they are not certain about their investigation and they are going back to the drawing board then it does put a shadow over the whole investigation," he said.

Somerset Mayor Graeme Lehmann said the delay would extend flood victims' pain.

"Some people out there are hurting and working through issues," he said.

"I think this will bring it all up fresh again. You'd wonder how this evidence could come out after an extensive report like we had."