The Hindu : U.K. `favours' direct polls in Iraq

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 22, 2004

International

International

U.K. `favours' direct polls in Iraq

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, JAN. 21. In what amounts to a major concession to the Iraqi Shia leadership, the British Government is reported to be in favour of holding direct elections in Iraq before the proposed transfer of power on June 30 as it apparently believes that an early return to democracy would stabilise the situation in the war-torn country.

British officials were today quoted as saying that the head of the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority (CAP), Paul Bremer, had also been `persuaded' of the need for early direct elections provided it was practicable to hold them.

"British officials insist that the argument has been accepted by Mr. Bremer and the State Department but they are less certain that the whole Republican administration has accepted the position,'' The Guardian reported.

The British Government, it said, had been `swayed' by the Shia argument and the Foreign Office was examining `options' for holding direct elections such as using ration cards as a means of identifying voters.

One British official was reported to have warned that either Iraq became a "reasonably functioning democracy'', or "else it will eventually fall apart''.

The Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, who is in touch with the U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, is said to have likened the process of restoring democracy in Iraq to "a bit like riding a bike...you've got to keep it moving, even if it wobbles all over the place.''

He is credited with the view that the security situation would be `significantly' better if direct elections are held before handing over the power.

The British Government is believed to be prepared to accept the risk that elections at this stage could help the Shia theocracy.

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