UN to send election team to Iraq: Diplomats

The UN is close to backing an American and Iraqi request to deploy experts who would assess whether Iraq could hold elections by May for a transitional government, diplomats revealed.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan received the request during a meeting with leaders of the Iraqi Governing Council and the American led Coalition Provisional Authority. He said he supported the idea but reiterated that security for such a team was a key concern.