UN wary but on target for Iraq election

The United Nations is ahead of schedule in organising Iraq’s elections but will not take part if security does not improve, the UN elections chief said.

“What is at stake is whether the election is resolved by ballot or by bullet,” Carina Perelli told a news conference.

Despite deteriorating security, she said the UN election team was moving ahead quickly and expected to meet a May 31 deadline to select an Independent Electoral Commission and adopt an election law.

That would leave the minimum eight months which the United Nations said it needs to organise national and provincial elections by January 31, 2005.

“Security aside, we are better than on track,” she said.

The United Nations got off to a fast start because during Perelli’s last visit, the Iraqi Governing Council and the US-led coalition agreed on April 24 to establish the electoral commission – five weeks earlier than expected.

Now, the United Nations is accepting nominations until May 15 for seven electoral commissioners and a director of elections from Iraqi individuals and groups.

Although nominations are not being accepted at coalition offices in five districts because it is too dangerous, they can be submitted over the Internet or by driving to a neighbouring province, Perelli said.

The coalition is expected to hand over sovereignty to a caretaker Iraqi government on June 30 – which UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi is trying to put together.

Brahimi has proposed that it be led by a prime minister with a president and two vice presidents, who would oversee the January elections. The elected national assembly will then adopt a constitution.