Al-Seistani accepts the agreement to hand over sovereignty under conditions: end of year elections to be made by UN decision, supervision

The Shiite clergy Ayatullah Ali al-Seisatni said yesterday he will accept an unelected government and of limited authority to rule Iraq after June 30, the date for handing over sovereignty from the American occupation to the Iraqis if he gets "clear guarantees" like "resolution" from the UN Security Council to make elections by the end of 2004 under the supervision of the UN.

Though the date proposed by al-Seistani is nearer from that proposed by the US, however, a statement by the religious leader, which the governing council announced full support off, indicated that another agreement is under crystallization on the formula of the next rule and its timetable.

The agreement includes a weak administration to rule on June 30 with a basic mission to organize the elections with experts from the US and the UN.

In a statement, al-Seistani office in al-Najaf said " the religious leader calls for clear guarantees like that from the UN Security Council on making elections according to the date set by the decision of the UN secretary general by the end of 2004. "

Meantime, a delegation representing the governing council composed of four members: Ahmad Chalabi, Muwafaq al-Rubee, Muhammad Baher al-Olom and Ahmad al-Barak as well as the representative of Abdul Aziz al-Hakim visited al-Seistani in al-Najaf.

In conclusion of the visit, al-Rubee told journalists "we have made talks with him ( Seistani) on the two issues of the elections and authority transfer to the Iraqis, and we do support his ( al-Seistani statement) on the issue of authority transfer or the report of the UN in this regard."