Allawi meets with European leaders in Brussels

The Iraqi Interim prime minister Eyad Allawi will be meeting today in Brussels the leaders of the European Union, on the sideline of their summit which started deliberations on Thursday.

The 25 European leaders are expected to confirm their commitment to re-building Iraq.

Allawi visited Italy yesterday and held talks with the Italian prime minister Silvio Berlyskony who stressed that his country will keep all its forces in Iraq along the period the Iraqi government demands.

He said in a press conference "we are determined to proceed towards democracy and the state of the law. And I, on this occasion, address countries which confined themselves to the role of the spectator, calling for help in building a better Iraq."

In another political development, the independent higher commission for elections in Iraq said it has taken a decision permitting the Iraqis abroad to take part in the elections which are due on January 2nd, 2005.

A spokesman for the commission Fred Ayar said that this decision aims at providing more freedom and transparency to the operation through the participation of "elite young intellectuals."