Continued argument over the Iraqi elections

Concerning developments on the Iraqi elections due on January 30, 2005, the Iraqi Minister of Planning, Mahdo al-Hafez, who is close to Adnan al-Baqjaji said that the Interim Iraqi government will study within the few coming days the postponement of the elections. An idea which was refused by several Iraqi sides including the Shiite leadership. The minister explained that in case it is approved to postpone the elections, the decision will be submitted to the Interim Iraqi council and the Presidential commission for consultation.

This, however, came after the Shiite leadership in Najaf refused any postponement for the elections from its set date.

For his part, the deputy chairman of the Interim Iraqi National Council, Jawad al-Malki, stressed the council's opposition for the request demanded by Iraqi parties to postpone the elections.

He said that the postponement of the Iraqi elections will create a state of legal and legislative vacuum and will make the coming government without any legitimate cover.

The Iraqi deputy prime minister Barham Saleh considered that the delay in the elections will damage the political process and enhance the intentions behind what he called terrorism in the country.

Nevertheless, several Kurdish officials have been clinging to the need of postponing the elections of Karkouk governorate council until the implementation of the Interim Iraqi state's administration law which relates the re-settlement of persons evacuated from it. This was expressed during the visit made by the representative of the UN secretary general in Iraq to Kurdistan to make consultations over the elections.