Iraq: fears of extremists winning weakens chances to have Iraqi elections
Iraq-USA, Politics, 6/4/2003

Following a meeting they held in Iraq yesterday, the representative of the UN in Iraq Serjio De Milo and the American administrator of Iraq Paul Bremer vowed to work together for rebuilding Iraq, at a time when the Iraqi groups rejected the American decision to abrogate convening of a national conference.

Bremer said " we held good talks concerning various issues over which we can work together for founding a democratic, independent and peaceful Iraq. We are aware, we actually, seek to achieve the same objectives." For his part, De Milo said "we work for the same objective reflected in handling over the authority as soon as possible to the free people of Iraq." He described the relations with the "Interim coalition authority" in Iraq as "important," adding that the UN humanitarian agencies is carrying out work in full cooperation with the coalition authority. And "we do currently expand this cooperation to cover the political field and rebuilding."

Bremer on Sunday informed the "7 member council" of his decision to cancel the national conference which was due in weeks and to replace it by a consultation "political council" that assists the occupation in ruling Iraq.

Meantime, the British daily "The Times" said yesterday that the British envoy in Iraq, John Soars, believes that the political culture in the country has weakened the possibility of having elections to form an interim government in future. Soars told the paper that extremists in Iraq enjoy a great effect to the extent that it prevents proceeding forward in the elections and that the failure to find Saddam Hussein obstructs political progress in the country.

Soars added "the political parties are not formed on national foundation. There is no official media yet though which ideas can be discussed." He explained "When you have an open political process where the political parties and the media are not developed and when the extremists discover that, then moderates will face pressures that they can not deal with."

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