United Nations, Jan 20: UN Secretary General Kofi Annan today met a delegation of the Iraqi Governing Council and top US official in the country Paul Bremer and agreed to send a technical team to look into a possibility of holding a quick election in the war-torn nation by June 30. "We have agreed that further discussions should take place at the technical level," Annan told a press conference after the meeting adding that he would be in a better position to take a decision "on the basis of those discussions."

"...I`m looking at the possibility of sending a mission to Iraq to offer advice on the ground," Annan said, adding that a separate four-man team will go to look at security issues. With the leader of Iraq`s Shiite Muslims pressing for direct elections before the united states hands over power on June 30, Annan said he could not immediately authorise sending a team to study the feasibility of a vote.

Annan said both the provisional coalition authority the Governing Council had expressed a "strong wish" that the UN send the technical team to study feasibility of election and if that is not possible, what are the alternatives.

The US-led coalition and the Governing Council agreed on November 15 to hand over power to an interim government selected through a Caucus system but top Shia religious leader Grand Ayatollah Alial-Sistani said power should not be handed to unelected leaders. He, however, indicated he could relent if the UN decides that there is not enough time to organise credible and fair elections.

Bureau Report