Iraq: Un Electoral Team Arrives In Baghdad

IRAQ: UN ELECTORAL TEAM ARRIVES IN BAGHDAD AS BRAHIMI CONTINUES CONSULTATIONS

New York, May 12 2004 2:00PM

A United Nations electoral team arrived today in Iraq, where UN Special Advisor Lakhdar Brahimi continued his meetings with a broad spectrum of the country's people.

Mr. Brahimi met with members of the Iraqi Democratic Current, headed by Saad Saleh Jaber, and then held a discussion with representatives of a new political party called "Iraq for the Iraqis," which brings together university professors, farmers, tribal leaders, journalists, student, judges and lawyers, according to a UN spokesman.

The envoy also held talks with Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani and Dawa Party chief Ibrahim Al-Jafri.

In addition, Mr. Brahimi met with Sunni Clerics and prominent religious and civic leaders from Fallujah. "They welcomed Brahimi's role and looked forward to cooperating with him with a view to finding solutions for the challenges facing Iraq today," spokesman Fred Eckhard told reporters in New York.

On Tuesday, Mr. Brahimi also met with the British Ambassador to Iraq, David Richmond and attended a dinner hosted by Iraq's newly-designated Minister of Human Rights, Bakhtiar Amin, who invited nearly 100 other guests, including members of the Iraqi Governing Council and other prominent Iraqi politicians.

Meanwhile, the electoral team which arrived today is headed by Carina Perelli, Director of the UN Electoral Assistance Division. They are working to support the Iraqis in preparation for polls slated to take place by 31 January 2005 under the country's Transitional Administrative Law.

2004-05-12 00:00:00.000

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