Dubai, June 22: The US-led coalition ruling Iraq should draw up a "roadmap" to outline the country's political future, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said in remarks published today. "The United Nations must cooperate with coalition forces and Iraqis to establish a new Iraqi government and I hope the coalition forces will soon draw up a 'roadmap'", Annan told the pan-Arab Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.
"I am using this term again to reassure Iraqis that they will govern again and control their political future and their economic prosperity and to give them a timetable for that so that they can be confident that the occupation will not be permanent but a transitional stage", Annan explained.
He said it was "difficult" to set a date for a new government to take power. This required "consultation and secret negotiations" between the various parties in Iraq.

Bureau Report