Iraqi Wants Quick Decision on Elections

[Barrett808]

Iraqi Wants Quick Decision on Elections
By EDITH M. LEDERER, Associated Press Writer

DAVOS, Switzerland - Iraq's foreign minister said Saturday he expects the United Nations to accept a U.S. request to study prospects for elections before America transfers power to the Iraqis and hopes the recommendations can be ready quickly — within two to three weeks.

If there is a pre-handover legislative election, Hoshyar Zebari told The Associated Press it would require a census and could delay giving power back to Iraqis by a month or two.

He said the Iraqi Governing Council is committed to the terms of the Nov. 15 agreement it signed with the U.S.-led coalition calling for a transfer of power by July 1. But if "refinements" are needed to provide for an election, he said, "I don't think that would be the end of the world."

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Friday after meeting top officials from the council and the coalition that he would decide "in the next few days" whether to send a team to Iraq. He has already promised U.N. help after the transfer of power in conducting a census and holding elections.

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