Putin doubts date of the elections, Allawi confirms it will be made in phases

The Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his doubt that the Iraqi elections will be held at their due time. Putin said during his meeting with the Interim Iraqi prime minister Eyad Allawi that he does not expect the organization of the elections under full occupation of the Iraq "by the occupation forces."

Allawi, however, had stressed in an interview made with a Belgian daily the possibility of making the elections along 15 or 20 days, calling on all the Iraqis with all their sects to take part in it. He said that the voting operations will be circulated on various dates according to governorates, adding this will permit the deployment of appropriate security elements.

On the other hand, the secretary general of the Arab League called for convening a conference for national reconciliation prior to the elections in which all Iraqi forces are taking place in a way that guarantees its credibility. He stressed the role to be played by the UN in supervising the political process there.

In a remarkable development, the two Sunni Iraqi democratic and national Islamic parties expressed their readiness to participate in the elections after they were among other 17 parties who had called for the postponement of the elections.

Experts from all parts of the world are preparing to meet in Canada this month in order to discuss preparations for the Iraqi elections. Election Canada commission which supervises the federal elections in Canada said the meeting will be held in Ottawa.