VOL. XLVII

No 09

01-March-2004

The Political Scene (1March 2004)

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has reported to the Security Council that it would not be advisable to hold elections in Iraq before the 30 June deadline for the handover of sovereignty and Ayatollah 'Ali al-Sistani has indicated that he is prepared to go along with this recommendation, but only until the end of the year. The UN report also rejects caucuses as a means of selecting an interim government and the signature of an...