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| Iraqi President Is Flown to Germany for Treatment | Iraqi President Is Flown to Germany for Treatment |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| BERLIN — Jalal Talabani, the president of Iraq, was flown to Germany on Thursday for medical treatment for a stroke suffered this week, his spokesman said. The president, 79, was said to be in “stable” condition, and the decision to move him was announced after medical specialists from abroad were dispatched to Iraq to assess the possibility of sending him out of the country for further treatment. | BERLIN — Jalal Talabani, the president of Iraq, was flown to Germany on Thursday for medical treatment for a stroke suffered this week, his spokesman said. The president, 79, was said to be in “stable” condition, and the decision to move him was announced after medical specialists from abroad were dispatched to Iraq to assess the possibility of sending him out of the country for further treatment. |
| Barazan Sheikh Ottoman, the head of the presidential media office, said in a telephone interview that Mr. Talabani left, accompanied by doctors, after they established that he was well enough to be transferred. | |
| In Berlin, the Foreign Ministry confirmed that Mr. Talabani had arrived in Germany. A spokeswoman atCharité hospital here, Manuela Zingl, confirmed that he was being treated at the hospital but said that she could not disclose any information on his condition because of rules on medical privacy. | |
| Mr. Talabani, whose influence in mediating disputes among the country’s many political factions has far outweighed the limited powers of the office he occupies, was rushed to a hospital on Monday after having the stroke. | Mr. Talabani, whose influence in mediating disputes among the country’s many political factions has far outweighed the limited powers of the office he occupies, was rushed to a hospital on Monday after having the stroke. |
| In a brief update on Wednesday, the Iraqi medical staff at the hospital, Baghdad Medical City, said that “his health is stable.” Doctors were using the same medical procedures on him that they had used when he was admitted to the facility, where newly arrived medical experts from Iran, Germany and Britain had begun to monitor his condition, the Iraqi staff said. | In a brief update on Wednesday, the Iraqi medical staff at the hospital, Baghdad Medical City, said that “his health is stable.” Doctors were using the same medical procedures on him that they had used when he was admitted to the facility, where newly arrived medical experts from Iran, Germany and Britain had begun to monitor his condition, the Iraqi staff said. |
| One of the country’s two vice presidents, Khudayr al-Khuzai, a Shiite, will take on Mr. Talabani’s duties in his absence. | One of the country’s two vice presidents, Khudayr al-Khuzai, a Shiite, will take on Mr. Talabani’s duties in his absence. |
| Mr. Talabani’s illness, announced in a statement from his office on Tuesday, cast a shadow over the Kurdish lands in the north, where he once fought a guerrilla war and where he now lives. It added a new element of uncertainty to the country’s divided politics a year after the American military departed, leaving Iraq’s leaders to steer the country’s shaky democracy on their own. | Mr. Talabani’s illness, announced in a statement from his office on Tuesday, cast a shadow over the Kurdish lands in the north, where he once fought a guerrilla war and where he now lives. It added a new element of uncertainty to the country’s divided politics a year after the American military departed, leaving Iraq’s leaders to steer the country’s shaky democracy on their own. |
| Mr. Talabani has been treated abroad for medical conditions in recent years. At a news conference on Tuesday at the same hospital, a doctor had also described Mr. Talabani’s condition as “stable” and said he expected it to improve. On Twitter, Mr. Talabani’s son, Qubad Talabani, who represents the Kurdistan Regional Government in Washington, wrote of hope that his father “can begin his recovery soon.” | Mr. Talabani has been treated abroad for medical conditions in recent years. At a news conference on Tuesday at the same hospital, a doctor had also described Mr. Talabani’s condition as “stable” and said he expected it to improve. On Twitter, Mr. Talabani’s son, Qubad Talabani, who represents the Kurdistan Regional Government in Washington, wrote of hope that his father “can begin his recovery soon.” |
| But privately other officials have suggested his condition is more serious. A hospital official and a high-level government official, both of whom requested anonymity out of respect for Mr. Talabani’s family, said Tuesday that the president was in a coma. | But privately other officials have suggested his condition is more serious. A hospital official and a high-level government official, both of whom requested anonymity out of respect for Mr. Talabani’s family, said Tuesday that the president was in a coma. |
| The Iraqi medical staff members did not take questions on Wednesday. | The Iraqi medical staff members did not take questions on Wednesday. |
Chris Cottrell reported from Berlin, and Duraid Adnan from Baghdad. Christine Hauser contributed reporting from New York and Stephen Castle from London. | Chris Cottrell reported from Berlin, and Duraid Adnan from Baghdad. Christine Hauser contributed reporting from New York and Stephen Castle from London. |