Washington asks for UN advice on Iraq; protests threatened

By: Mohamed Ali

WASHINGTON: The Bush administration is reaching out to the UN to help settle a power transfer dispute with Iraqis who want immediate direct elections.

US administrator in Iraq L. Paul Bremer, and an Iraqi delegation led by Adnan Pachachi, current chairman of the US-appointed Iraqi Governing Council, plan to confer with Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Monday in New York.

Bremer said: “The UN has a lot of expertise in organizing elections, electoral commissions, electoral laws, has a great deal of expertise it can bring to bear.”

He said the mechanics of the plan's election formula could be altered in response to clerics demands for direct elections.

Meanwhile, Ayatullah Ali As-Sistani threatened a wave of protests if the US-led coalition presses on with plans to hand power to an un-elected government by June.

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