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UN to help stage Iraq elections in 2004
Cairo, Aug 9: UN special representative for Iraq Sergio Vieira De Mello said here today that the world body was contributing to efforts to hold elections in 2004 in the war-battered country.
Cairo, Aug 9: UN special representative for Iraq Sergio Vieira De Mello said here today that the world body was contributing to efforts to hold elections in 2004 in the war-battered country.
"We will need to organise free, fair and truly democratic elections in the country sometime in 2004," he told the reporters after talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher.
"We already have an electoral team in Iraq and very soon we will help Iraqis prepare these elections. Out of these elections, a legitimate, democratic and internationally-recognised government will emerge," he added.
The UN official, who is on a regional tour, said he has "detected unanimous support among the neighbours of Iraq for a central role of the UN in this transition (period) and beyond".
Vieira De Mello called on Arab states to give a chance to Iraq's interim governing council set up last month, but denied his goal was to rally support for the US-sponsored body.
"We are not in the business of marketing the governing council," he said.
"We are answering questions of Iraq's neighbours, we are trying to provide them with an impartial assessment of the situation in Iraq including the role of the governing council which for us is central during this transition.
"We are explaining what we believe is the role of the council and why it deserves to be given a chance by Arab neighbours," said Vieira De Mello.
Bureau Report
"We already have an electoral team in Iraq and very soon we will help Iraqis prepare these elections. Out of these elections, a legitimate, democratic and internationally-recognised government will emerge," he added.
The UN official, who is on a regional tour, said he has "detected unanimous support among the neighbours of Iraq for a central role of the UN in this transition (period) and beyond".
Vieira De Mello called on Arab states to give a chance to Iraq's interim governing council set up last month, but denied his goal was to rally support for the US-sponsored body.
"We are not in the business of marketing the governing council," he said.
"We are answering questions of Iraq's neighbours, we are trying to provide them with an impartial assessment of the situation in Iraq including the role of the governing council which for us is central during this transition.
"We are explaining what we believe is the role of the council and why it deserves to be given a chance by Arab neighbours," said Vieira De Mello.
Bureau Report