Blair in Baghdad, elections on time

Despite the deteriorated security conditions, the British prime minister Tony Blair and the Iraqi interim prime minister Eyad Allawi stressed in a joint press conference in Baghdad that the Iraqi elections will be carried out in its set date scheduled on January 30th.

Blair commended members of the higher commission for the elections in Iraq and described them as heroes. He stressed his country's support for the interim government and what he called democracy in Iraq in confrontation of what he described as terrorists. Blair also called on the Iraqis to take part in the elections which he considered as representing the option of democracy and freedom for them.

Following his talks in Baghdad with Allawi and some members of the elections commission's members, Blair visited Basra during which he inspected the British forces there.

The elections commission announced it will prepare for the elections 7000 ballot centers which will work for ten hours on the day of the elections.