Iraqis, US Authorities Look to UN

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040115/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_politics&cid=540&ncid=1480

<snip>

At stake is the July 1 deadline for the United States to transfer power to a provisional Iraqi government and the international legitimacy that U.N. involvement would confer on the political plan — something Iraqi leaders need to counter skepticism at home.

There is no mention of a U.N. role in a Nov. 15 political agreement signed between L. Paul Bremer, America's top civilian official in Iraq, and the Iraqi Governing Council. But the accord ran into trouble when Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani raised objections, throwing into doubt whether the July 1 deadline could be met.

Al-Sistani, the top cleric of Iraq's Shiite majority, wants an interim legislature to be elected directly, not chosen in provincial caucuses as called for under the plan.

<snip>
In the holy city of Najaf, where al-Sistani lives, fliers and posters urged Iraqis to oppose the Nov. 15 plan.

[54anickel]

1. My, this puts a bit of pressure on ShrubCo. Suddenly he needs the UN to

step in and lend a hand to be able to stick with the plan. This part is precious, trying to get Annan to put a little more spin on his comments. It's all words, marketing and spin to these guys.

snip>
Annan already has written to the Governing Council saying that holding a credible election before June 30 may be impossible. But Shiite council members dismissed that as the view of "faraway" experts not familiar with the realities of Iraq.


Al-Sistani has reportedly demanded a U.N. ruling on whether elections can be held, something the 75-year-old cleric said Sunday was possible with "an acceptable level of transparency."

snip>
A coalition official said on condition of anonymity that al-Sistani may be persuaded to drop his demand for an early vote if the United Nations states clearly that such an election is not feasible.