Iraq GC holding talks with Ayat Seestani on elections

By: Ismail Zabeeh

HOLY CITY OF NAJAF, Iraq: Iraq’s interim Governing Council delegation on Thursday held talks with Ayatullah Ali As-Seestani on new ideas regarding the holding of general elections in the country.

According to Hamad Al-Khafaf, a spokesman for Ayatullah As-Seestani, he insisted on the election of provisional national assembly during talks with the six-member delegation.

Seestani criticized the US schedule for establishing a provisional Iraqi government through a series of formal regional caucuses rather than by holding general elections.

The spokesman added: “Despite obstacles that have been raised, he would only renounce elections if a UN technical team reaches the conclusion that it is impossible to hold these and proposes another solution that would guarantee a better representation of the Iraqi people.”

“Talks are continuing to reach the best way of representing the Iraqi people,” another council member Muwaffaq Ar-Rabiyi said.

Under an accord signed between the council and US-led coalition on Nov 15, the transfer of sovereignty to a transitional national assembly will take place by May 31 next year. General elections would not take place until March 2005, a date Seestani has rejected as far too late. The deal gave no role at all to the UN.

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