Iraqis Urged To Accept Interim Government

UN special adviser Brahimi (file photo) 2 June 2004 -- UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi has urged Iraqis to accept their new interim government and help it prepare for national elections.
Brahimi said today that Iraq's national elections scheduled early next year are the next big political step facing the country.

"Now that the government's composition has been announced, it is ultimately up to the Iraqi people to judge for themselves whether this is a good government and how good it is," Brahimi said. "I believe that they will make up their minds about that on the basis of what the government does and says during the critical few months ahead."

Meanwhile, Turkey and Iran today expressed satisfaction with Iraq's new interim government, who are due to take over from U.S.-led coalition authorities on 30 June.

Russia also welcomed the new government, and Jordan pledged to support it.

In other developments, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, speaking in Brussels, today expressed confidence that Washington can "accommodate the requests and views" of most of the UN Security Council members in a new resolution on Iraq.

(AP/Reuters/AFP)