Amman (AsiaNews) – Extremely high security measures surround the UN envoys who arrived yesterday in Jordan's capital. The group of envoys, called the "Electoral Team", is traveling to Baghdad today. There is maximum secrecy concerning the names of the group's members, especially that of its coordinating president.     

The group, sent by the United Nations to the "land of two rivers, will have the task of studying the feasibility of elections, as requested by Shiite ayatollah Al-Sistani, before June 30 –the official date assigned to the transition to the Iraqi people. The group will write up a report for UN secretary general, Kofi Annan. 

At this time the UN's role will not simply stop at studying and helping the process of political transition. It will also include issues linked to internal security, economic renewal, reconstruction, humanitarian aid as well as the return of Iraqi refugees.  

Speaking yesterday to journalists, Kofi Annan said that "the return of the UN in Iraq will be a gradual process, little by little as the new (Iraqi) government is installed." The UN's presence, though not massive, is greatly appreciated throughout the region for the critical role it can play in Iraq.  

This is first step toward applying the UN Security Council's Resolution 1511 (of Oct. 2003), sanctioning the duty to "strengthen the UN's vital role in Iraq." The first United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) office has opened its doors in Larnaka, on the island of Cyprus, and is soon expected to move to Amman.

The office is run by Ross Mountain, a special UN regional representative. Beginning in Jordan, UN humanitarian agencies have never stopped working for Iraqi people.    

The current plan is to "restore potable water supplies, provide medicine and medical assistance, fertilizers, seeds, dredge ports, repair medical centers, water treatment plants, pumping stations, and electrical power stations. The World Food Program (WFP) has allocated 2.3 million tons of food to be distributed in Iraq by the middle of 2004. The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is working to facilitate the re-entry of evacuees and of refugees from Iran and Saudi Arabia. 

Currently, there about 200 UN personnel working  in Jordan, in charge of UN dealings in Iraq, at various agencies, like the FAO, WFP, ACNUR, WHO, UNICEF, UNESCO and UNDP (United Nations Development Program).

A huge task awaits them, as Kofi Annan mentioned in a speech: "26 million Iraqis have suffered decades of war, sanctions and poverty. And now they are going through a period which will define their future. For them ,and in memory of those which have sacrificed their lives to help Iraq, this UN program must succeed (referring to the victims of the attack on the UN's offices in Baghdad last August)."    

A member of the Electoral Team traveling to Iraq told AsiaNews, "Recent political developments in Iraq have given us hope for better stability and rapid return of sovereignty to Iraqis."   (ID)

• iraq
• jordan
• united
• nations
• un
• reconstruction
• refugees
• iraqi
• transition
• of
• power